How can high-profile figures create a culture of openness around mental wellbeing?

Mic

Need to know:

High-profile figures can create a public and wide-reaching forum for discussion of a topic that is still hindered by harmful stereotypes and taboos, such as mental health.
Employers enlisting, for example, sports personalities to help instigate discussion can also draw parallels with topics such as teamwork, resilience, wellness and training.
Ultimately, the goal should be to encourage and inspire employees at all levels to share their own stories.
High-profile speakers do not need to be celebrities; stories told by internal leaders can also have a clear impact on creating an open culture.

Mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, affect one in six adults in England, according to the Survey of mental health and wellbeing published by NHS Digital in September 2016. In the world of work, this has resulted in 6.2 million people working while feeling mentally unwell, as found in October 2019 research by Canada Life Group Insurance, and 49% of employers citing mental health as one of their biggest challenges, according to Towergate Health and Protection in November 2019.

Perhaps even more concerning is that, despite the widely researched and understood prevalence of the issue, harmful stereotypes about mental illness often prevent people from seeking treatment, or even speaking about it at all. They can feel isolated and alone with their problems.

However, the discussion is emerging in the public forum, not least due to the growing number of public figures, such as Russell Brand, Stephen Fry and Princes William and Harry, opening up about the mental health challenges they themselves have faced.

Katherine Conway, head of diversity and inclusion and community affairs at Aon, says: “Listening to a celebrity or sportsperson talk about their challenges with mental health feels ‘safe’. Hearing people who are respected and successful talk about their difficulties has a huge impact, as it makes us all realise that anyone can suffer mental ill-health.”

Applicable to the workplace

A concerning fact is that people continue to feel uncomfortable discussing their mental wellbeing with their employer; in October 2019, CV Library reported that this fear affected 26% of research respondents.

Nevertheless, the use of revelatory and highly public forms of storytelling has been shown to help others to open up about their mental health struggles, and as a result, is also proving effective as part of mental wellbeing strategies in the workplace.

Steve Desborough, head of healthcare strategy at Buck, says: “[Employers] are increasingly using high-profile figures who will talk about their own mental health issues or those of their family members. For a staff member who is struggling, hearing these open and honest experiences from inspiring members of society can be exactly the motivation they need to seek help.”

Drawing parallels

The initial benefit of having a high-profile spokesperson is that their presence is likely to gather more interest, and their message therefore reach and engage more people. However, a further element that can benefit employers, particularly when it comes to, for example, sports personalities, is the parallels that can be drawn with working life.

“There's the support of colleagues, or teammates, as well as wider support mechanisms available through training, counselling, resilience and mindfulness, just as there are in sporting circles,” Conway explains.

Understanding the existence, and value, of a support system either within a team, department or wider organisational structure can help employees feel they are not alone in their struggle, as can hearing real-life stories of similar issues faced by others.

This can be vital in giving employees the confidence to speak openly about their mental wellbeing, says Dr Mara Klemich, consulting psychologist and co-founder of organisational culture firm Heartstyles.

“At the root of some mental health issues is fear, which can cause us to adopt self-protecting ‘hiding’ coping strategies," she explains. "When an organisation shifts its culture to give permission to be authentic, it frees people from the hiding behaviours of self-protection.”

Open communication

Ultimately, organisations should aim to support employees in sharing their own stories and experiences, and establishing an open culture of communication in the everyday workings of the business.

“Finding employees who will speak openly about how they’ve been supported to achieve positive mental wellbeing to encourage others is also vital to the ‘we’re all in it together’ message,” says Klemich.

Introducing a high-profile figure can be a strong first step towards this end result. “Campaigns like these are breaking down the stigma of mental illness and empowering employees to discuss any concerns they have without fear of judgement or repercussions,” says Desborough.

However, this does not need to be a sports or media personality to be effective, says Conway. Indeed, employers should consider the potential impact of showing an open commitment from internal leaders to frequently and honestly discuss mental health.

She concludes: “Having a leader, who’s seen as successful and professional, talk about a period in their life when they have struggled with mental ill-health demonstrates a willingness to be open. It also demonstrates that it’s possible to overcome poor mental health and be successful, and this helps to create a culture where colleagues can open up and speak out about their own challenges.”