It can very difficult to identify signs of mental health. The majority of mental health cases go unrecognised before they become severe. The symptoms below should help employers and employers spot signs if mental health.
Employees could be arriving later into work or they might not be taking a lunch break. It will also be a struggle for employees to hit work deadlines or join in any office banter if they are suffering with mental health issues. The worker could be taking unofficial time off, which will also have an effect on their work performance. Mental health can also make an employee become introvert or extrovert or they may generally just act out of character.
Workers who are stressed tend to display physical symptoms such as being constantly tired at work or not making any effort with their appearance. A worker who is suffering from mental health issues may have a constant cold or could have rapidly gained or lost weight.
Employees may be very sensitive to criticism if they have been suffering from mental health issues. They will also seem irritable and may demonstrate an uncharacteristic loss of confidence. Mental health can also cause an individual to lose their sense of humour.
A worker could be making a lot more mistakes than they normally would do. A good indicator for an employer would be if their employee had an unexplained drop in their work performance. Mental health can also make a worker struggle to make decisions and can cause a lack in concentration. Studies have shown that 80% of employees suffering from mental health issues find it difficult to concentrate.
Employers should look out for increases in absences or staff turnover. The amount of work an employee has to do for their role could be a main contributor to their mental health, therefore they won’t want to come into work. As a manager, you can identify mental health issues through an employee’s productivity and motivation levels. If they are both low, the worker won’t perform well at the business. A recent survey conducted showed that 62% of workers suffering with mental health issues take longer to complete tasks.
If you need advice on spotting signs of mental health in employees, please contact a member of the HPC team:
T: 0844 800 5932
E: help@highpeformanceconsultancy.com
Twitter: @HPC_HRservices
See below for advice from HPC advisors Alex and Eluned on managing mental health in the workplace.