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Encouraging Men’s Health in the Workplace: Breaking the Stigma
The topic of men’s mental health is still an extremely pressing issue, especially in the UK. The UK government has decided now is the time to act and address the issue of men’s health. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has called for evidence to inform a strategy to tackle the life expectancy gap between men and women in England. An extremely concerning statistic which demonstrates the importance of breaking the stigma around men seeking mental health support is that amongst is that the leading cause of death among men aged 50 and below, is suicide.
Progress has been made with people seeking mental health support, with a reported 3.8 million people contacting NHS services in 2023/24 comparatively with 2.7 million in 2018/19. However, stats show men in the UK require further encouragement to overcome the stigma. In the workplace, 52% of men are estimated to be concerned about taking time off for mental health purposes and 46% would be embarrassed to tell their employers if it was necessary. Encouraging openness within your organisation enables men to come forward and seek the support they require as necessary. This may seem a difficult topic to broach at first, but there are methods to implement an effective strategy.
Why is men's mental health ignored?
As of 2023, the rate of suicide amongst British men was 16.4 per 100,000 compared with 5.4 per 100,000 for women. Despite this shocking statistic, men’s mental health can often be overlooked. There are a variety of reasons for this, and they are often dictated by societal standards and myths. An example of this could be the belief that men are not as susceptible to anxiety or depression. This could be due to the fact that women are statistically more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety or depression than men (19% of women vs 12% of men). This can lead officials and decision makers to focus their wellbeing efforts onto women. Whilst it is critical to provide women with the necessary wellbeing support to manage their mental health, men need to be equally supported. In 2023, 75% of suicides in the UK in were men. Correlating with the findings that men are more likely to struggle with suicidal tendencies, approximately 18% of suicides in the UK are related to substance abuse. Combine this with the fact that men are also more commonly diagnosed with substance use disorders, the statistics suggest that many men turn to alternative and dangerous methods of managing their wellbeing which can lead to a critical incident.
Historically, men have been associated with strength, being able to control their emotions in the name of remaining masculine and stoic. This is something that has been perpetuated for centuries. It can be seen in the media where masculinity is typically demonstrated through stoicism, aggression, physicality, confidence and being physically desirable. This way of thinking is known as toxic masculinity and can lead to men being isolated, closed off and reluctant to share their feelings. This may come from conditioning since a young age, leading young men to believe they will be mocked or bullied for being open about their feelings. This fear is not only damaging on an individual level, but also from a social perspective. Plus, men who are afraid and unwilling to be open about their mental health struggles and reluctant to seek help may not only be a risk to themselves but also others, as studies have found.
Why it’s crucial to break the stigma surrounding men’s mental health
Breaking the stigma around men seeking help for mental health struggles is necessary to enable us as a society to prevent future critical incidents and tragedies. Due to the conditioning men have been the subject to for generations, many could feel they are alone, as if they are the only men facing certain mental health struggles. This is what has led to the current societal phenomenon of male loneliness. As has been discussed, male suicide rates are higher compared to women and especially amongst younger men. This could likely relate to the fact that women from a young age are encouraged and expected to be in touch with their emotions, open and understanding. Men during their adolescence are told to ‘man-up’ or ‘tough it out’. Often, it leads to them growing up reluctant to engaged with their emotional and mental needs, at a further detriment to their mental health.
Seeking support as a man when you are dealing with declining mental health is not a sign of weakness, it is a demonstration of strength. Placing your faith in others to support you when you need it most takes an extraordinary amount of will, commitment and trust. The will of people positions of senior leadership to provide necessary support cannot be underestimated, especially when aiming to assist and provide men with a safe and secure environment to discuss their mental health. As men’s mental health has become such a prevalent issue in UK society, there are a variety of support networks which can be used to aid men in when their mental health is declining.
As an organisation, implementing mental health action plans and signposting relevant resources to support your people’s mental health is key to productivity and growth. Ensuring men within an organisation are aware of organisations such as Andy’s Man Club or of an EAP your organisation has access to provides individuals with safe and secure channels to discuss mental health without fear of judgement or societal pressures.
Signs that a male colleague may be struggling with their mental health
As has been established, men are typically conditioned to repress and hide their emotions and feelings, so it can be more difficult to identify when they may be experiencing poor mental health.
Emotional signs
There are signs that can indicate something may be affecting an individual. Some of the tell-tale signs may be that they are more aggressive, irritable and they are experiencing violent and sudden mood swings. Due to the fact men have typically been conditioned to repress feelings of sadness, emotional outbursts will instead manifest in the form of irritation and anger. The inability to engaged with their emotions due to the stigma of not being perceived as masculine results in stress, confusion, anger and anxiety, all of which can accumulate into severe and persistent depression and possibly even suicidal ideation.
Behavioural signs
Behavioural indicators that a man is amid a mental health struggle may see some crossover of emotional indicators such as mood swings and aggression, there can be far more worrying and damaging behaviours in play. One of the key indicators is typically substance abuse. The reluctance to engage with emotions and mental wellbeing in a healthy and open manner often opens a door to self-medicating in the form of substance abuse to numb their overwhelming emotions. This in the long run will be incredibly damaging and detrimental to any person struggling with a mental health condition. While substances may provide short-term relief and pleasure, depressive and anxious states will become far more intense, alongside increased financial woes, physical detriment and riskier behaviours.
Physical signs
When struggling with mental health, people tend to experience physical reactions to their conditions and mental state. Stress and anxiety can lead to a lack of quality sleep which may involve bouts of insomnia or overtiredness, both of which can lead to further illness. The mental stress can have direct consequences on the body, resulting in things such as stress headaches, stomach pains and digestive issues. It can be difficult to spot physical signs as they may be personal and internal, but simple questions and enquiring as to how someone may be doing could provide some clues and insight.
Social signs
Social indicators that a man may be dealing with declining mental health struggles may be self-imposed isolation. Some individuals may feel as though they are a burden, that they may damage their relationships further, anxious that friends and family dislike them or simply lose interest in social or daily activities. It can be hard to connect to men in these periods as they isolate themselves, but often, it is in these times where they require the most support.
4 steps to reduce the stigma around men’s mental health
Plenty of progress has been made since the turn of the millennium to raise awareness around the topic of mental health. Over the past decade, men’s mental health has become an extremely prevalent topic. The aim is to break any stigma surrounding the topic, there is still plenty left to do. Here are some methods and processes that organisations can implement to reduce the impact of declining men’s mental health, particularly in the workplace.
Skill training
Protecting your workforce from harm and ill-health, including their mental health is the duty of any employer. However, one of the best ways to achieve this is by providing your people with the skills and knowledge to effectively handle periods of ill mental health. Here are some training resources to provide your people with the resources to support their own and others mental wellbeing:
Mental Health First Aid Training
Bereavement and grief training
Awareness days
Eliminating the stigma around men seeking mental health support involves increasing awareness for mental health conditions, the associated effects and how mental health struggles are a common occurrence. This can be achieved through workplace and calendar awareness days. By using these dates to highlight different issues, what is associated with them and how to overcome the difficulties they present, men within your organisation may feel more comfortable to address their feelings. Here are some key awareness days you can celebrate in your workplace:
Stress Awareness Month (April)
Mental Health Awareness Week (May)
World Mental Health Day (October)
Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month (November)
Signposting
If you have established procedures, and strategies to support your people with their mental health, that is one thing. But you must ensure they are aware of these strategies, how they can access necessary resources and what benefits they serve. This is why it is vital to ensure you are signposting the resources you have available.
Support lines
Toolkits
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
Open communication
One of the most difficult elements for men when it comes to seeking mental health support in the workplace is feeling comfortable and secure enough to be open with a colleague. By fostering and encouraging a culture of openness and support, men in will feel more comfortable seeking the necessary support to assist them with their mental health. This can be achieved by:
Regular one-to-one’s
On-site counsellors
Wellbeing surveys
Team activity days
Collaborative process
How an Employee Assistance Programme can help support men’s mental health
Supporting your people’s mental health is never the simplest task. This is even more relevant when discussing the mental health as men as men may be less likely to reach out for support. With HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), the men in your workforce will have secure access to 24/7 expert counselling, 365-days a year. With over 2000 counsellors, we are equipped and prepared to assist your workforce to overcome professional and personal challenges using expert advice and solutions.
Men who may be cautious of counselling can have faith in our 100% confidential and free service, where they can seek advice on financial difficulties and even seek legal guidance from us. Legal issues can be particularly stressful and difficult to deal with, whether it is an issue in the courts or simple advice and explanations on everyday legal issues, our expert team can offer reliable advice and support.
Conclusion
Supporting men’s mental health has become a prevalent topic for most organisations these days due to the risk declining mental health poses to men. As they are the demographic which are statistically the most susceptible to a critical incident, mainly due to the stigma surrounding masculinity and seeking assistance, organisations need to be prepared to effectively manage their mental health. Protecting and managing the mental wellbeing of the men in your workforce may not only save you added costs, but it could also save lives.
HA | Wisdom Wellbeing
HA | Wisdom Wellbeing (Health Assured) is the UK and Ireland’s leading EAP provider. Specialising in topics such as mental health and wellbeing, they produce insightful articles on how employees can look after their mental health, as well as how employers and business owners can support their people and organisation. They also provide articles directly from their counsellors to offer expertise from a clinical perspective. HA | Wisdom Wellbeing also writes articles for students at college and university level, who may be interested in improving and maintaining their mental wellbeing.
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