Why staff keep bullying and discrimination to themselves

A survey by law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp among 2,000 UK workers has suggested that just half think their employer will take their complaints of bullying, discrimination or harassment seriously.

Staff worry about how managers and HR will respond to their complaints, and what the implications will be for how they are perceived and their careers. Meanwhile, when problems are left unaddressed, the strains increase, relationships break down, and there are ripples of effects across teams and workplaces.

The study found that 59% of employees felt it was too expensive to turn to a professional law firm; 52% that there were too many barriers to getting legal support. Only 41% were comfortable with approaching a law firm at all.

The discrimination map

Data from last year points to widespread potential problems. A Key Law study found that more than a third of employees had either seen or experienced bullying themselves in the past three years.

A nationwide study by YouGov for Indeed in 2021 has claimed that London is they city where staff are most likely to be subject to discrimination (up to 30%). Then comes Northern Ireland (29%) and the Midlands (28%). The national average is 23%. The problems are far greater for people with minority ethnic backgrounds (where the figure relating to those likely to experience discrimination rises to 49%); people who are LGBT+ (47%) and those people with a disability (33%).

Always listening

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Listening to an employee’s concerns is a central part of the employer’s duty of care. Bottling up problems, whether it’s the result of issues at home or at work, is never helpful for either side. That’s why there have to be open channels for people to talk and access the advice they need.

“Just to have the option of opening up to a line manager on one hand, or going straight to a lawyer on the other, is no way to encourage a healthy workplace culture. Impartiality and independence is the critical thing. EAPs are always there to provide that early support, a bridge to defusing the most difficult situations.”

Has HR forgotten about the importance of ‘belonging’?

“To feel left out is a deeply human problem,” say authors of a new US study published in the Harvard Business Review, “which is why its consequences carry such heft and why its causes are so hard to root out of even the healthiest workplaces.”

The research into workplace exclusion by BetterUp, involving more than 2,000 participants, led to insights into how high levels of “belonging” meant increases in performance, retention and reduced absence.

Alien nation

The work has been backed up by another study in the UK by Connectr. In fact, the picture is worse. Its report (Belonging – HR’s Growing Crisis) among 2,000 office workers and 250 HR professionals suggests that only 34% felt like they belonged within their workplace community. 72% said they were looking for another job.

At the same time, 93% of HR respondents believed employees in their business had a feeling of belonging. The pandemic hasn’t helped: 89% saying the idea of belonging has become less of a focus. Around 30% also said they only started building real relationships with new staff after six months.

MD at Connectr, William Akerman, said: “Belonging isn’t simply a nice to have. And it isn’t a tick box exercise. The research demonstrates that it is vital for employers that want to be productive with an engaged, motivated and loyal workforce – critical for avoiding the predicted ‘great resignation’….it is clear the importance of employee belonging is a blind spot for HR.”

Belong again

Recommendations for how to make sure employees feel re-connected to the workplace include wider and more regular use of mentoring schemes, particularly among WFH staff. Make sure managers have the skills to act as a “fair-minded ally”, treating everyone equally and supporting those who might be subject to bullying.; and provide advice to people on how they can “navigate tricky workplace dynamics” through examples from past situations.

“Conversations are all-important for workplace belonging an building that sense of community, “ says EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell. “Whether that’s among teams or with managers, open conversations are what help create and keep on reinforcing a sense of psychological security so people can be themselves. The hard reality, however, is that many employees don’t feel able to talk openly about their worries, and least of all to those people who they think will be judging them — which is why the independent, impartial listening, advice and support of EAP professionals is so important.”

EAPA member Spectrum.Life launches Europe’s first “Total Mental Health” solution

EAPA member, Spectrum.Life, a leading provider of mental health and wellbeing support for employers and insurers, has announced the launch of Total Mental Health.

Total Mental Health, the first service of its kind in Europe, will provide users with continuous mental health and wellbeing support, including unlimited on-demand access to a personal mental health coach and open-ended therapy, all at the touch of a button.

With the rise of hybrid and remote working, Spectrum.Life has seen an increase in employees struggling with mental health issues due to isolation and anxiety. Research shows that only 1 in 4 people who need mental health support are currently engaging with the care they need. There is still a perceived stigma around accessing support. Many people don’t know where to turn for help and are hit with long waiting times when they finally do.

“As we see from current waiting lists, the public health system isn’t coping with current levels of demand. We’re bridging that gap,” says Dr. Sarah O’Neill, Spectrum.Life’s Chief Clinical Officer. “Different people have different mental health needs at different times. Total Mental Health overcomes the barriers to seeking support and makes it easy for them to access the correct supports for their situation – whether that’s self-directed care, Mental Health Coaching, Therapy or more specialist care.”

Stephen Costello, CEO of Spectrum.Life, highlights that there is currently an unmet need for enhanced mental health support: “This is something that both employers and insurers have been asking for. While there’s still room for a traditional Employee Assistance Program (EAP), many of our customers have expressed a need for something greater, which enables them to care for the mental health and wellbeing of their employees and members, no matter what challenges they may be facing.”

Alison Platt who recently joined Spectrum.Life as a Non-Executive Director and also holds a number of Non-Executive Director positions in the UK, including Tesco plc added: “As employers navigate the new working world, one of the major topics of discussion in boardrooms across the UK is combating employee burnout and supporting the mental health of their staff who may be working partly or fully remote. Total Mental Health is the perfect solution to this challenge, providing tailored support to enable businesses to connect their employees with the services they need.”

On launch, Total Mental Health will provide a complete range of mental health and wellbeing support, including:

• Unlimited access to live and on-demand mental health coaches
• Open-ended therapy, as required
• Unlimited access to mental fitness tools, exercises and personalised paths
• Advanced mental health concierge team to support referral and guidance to specialist care, where required
• Unlimited 24/7 access to a qualified mental health team

Total Mental Health supports the entire spectrum of mental health and wellbeing and will benefit every single employee in an organisation.

For more information: www.spectrum.life

Why is technostress suddenly starting to pinch?

Data from HIVE360 suggests there has been a 155% increase in the number of employees making use of confidential mental health support services.

Why? The suspicion is that the return to more normal routines, or at least a more normal context for working, has also meant the return of normal expectations. Businesses are looking to make up lost ground, re-assert themselves, and that is dependent on the energy and productivity of employees.

The pandemic, for some, meant a loosening of demands. Only so much could be expected from people dealing will such serious threats of illness, with caring responsibilities and the disruption of what tasks were even possible in practice. But expectations are believed to have snapped back.

Feeling technostress

Authors of the HIVE360 report point to ‘technostress’ as being a new major cause of problems with mental wellbeing at work: where the use of IT, either struggling to adapt to ever-changing technologies or being sucked into an over-use and over-reliance on digital devices, leads to anxiety and burnout.

Employees are being expected to maintain their productivity and efficiency and that means quicker, more complete engagement with IT tools. Ongoing WFH and greater dependence on digital methods of working and communications is only intensifying the issue.

This is triggering a number of worrying mental and emotional issues from the stress and negative psychological impact of so much online working and virtual meetings, which is still more than ever, despite the return to the office for many, and the trend for hybrid working,” said David McCormack, CEO of HIVE360.

Recommendations to help mitigate technostress include: raising awareness of the existence of ‘technostress’ and its causes and symptoms; tracking the use of IT outside of work hours to identify trends; actively encouraging digital switch-off times and a reduction in unnecessary digital messaging; and providing more mental health training for managers.

Human intervention

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Digital tools have delivered one revolution after another in terms of how we work, its speed and efficiency. They have also opened up new channels for stress and anxiety. Channels that are increasingly automated – and inhuman.

“That’s why human services such as those provided via EAPs are such an important offering for employees. It’s useful to help managers become more aware of issues relating to mental health, how they can identify problems and signpost support – but it’s too much to expect staff already anxious about their performance and workload pressures to want to go to their line manager, at least not until it’s already too late. They want a human being to speak to.”

How does your employer brand stack up in the renewed war for talent?

Post-pandemic and post-Brexit we have a very different recruitment landscape: job vacancies continue to increase; more people are looking to switch careers.

There were more than two million job vacancies advertised between the 4th and 10th of October according to a Recruitment & Employment Confederation report. The swell of demand is also being seen in almost every locality of the UK, and across every sector. The largest increases in vacancies have been those areas that have been re-opening since Covid-19: in sports and leisure, libraries and housekeeping. Anecdotally, employers and employer groups have been reporting unfamiliar problems in hiring.

Greener pastures

A 2021 survey by Kallidus has suggested that almost half the UK workforce will be planning to change their job in the coming year. The main reasons given were the desire to have more flexible work patterns, to find more ‘purpose’ in their role, as well as for the more traditional reason of career progress.

In other words, in the post-pandemic environment, more people are thinking about how work makes them feel. The disruption and increased time for reflection has led to a re-analysis of priorities, a new focus on what’s most important about daily lives. Wellbeing and work/life balance over a straightforward pursuit of financial rewards.

Good stuff

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Keeping hold of staff and attracting new talent is going to be the biggest challenge of the coming year for many HR teams. The shake-up of normality, that sense of new possibilities, has made every employee think about how their life might be different and better.

“People are more conscious of what makes a ‘good’ employer. Those that provide the right mix of empathy, support and flexibility – the mix that leads to more people-shaped careers, rather than expecting staff to cram themselves into a specific set of duties and responsibilities.

“So organisations need to do much more than pay lip service to wellbeing. People need to see and feel how wellbeing is fundamental to the workplace culture, not just on the list of benefits. Strongly-promoted EAPs are a critical part of a good culture, there to provide a range of practical forms of everyday support, with people to talk to and real understanding of how work and home lives spark off each other.”

How does your employer brand stack up in the renewed war for talent? – EAPA UK

Why don’t more men use the EAP?

More open conversations and awareness of mental health and changes to workplace culture haven’t yet been converted into more men using EAPs.

Evidence from EAP usage since August 2020 by Towergate Health and Protection suggests that men are only half as likely to look for support with psychological health as women. At the same time we have a situation where men are three times as likely to commit suicide.

The data also showed how the main reasons for reaching out for help from an EAP were dealing with ‘anxiety and low mood’. More women were contacting EAPs about dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. 56% of all calls to the EAP were made by women and only 29.5% by men (14.5% were an unspecified gender).

Many sizes approach

Towergate is urging HR to take a more tailored approach in order to make sure men in different roles and situations feel comfortable in contacting the EAP. Its suggestions include:

• specifically targeting communications to men regarding mental health support;

• piggyback national awareness days relevant to men, eg Movember, Father’s Day, Men’s Health Week;

• creating a men’s forum and ask them what would encourage them to seek help;

• showing (anonymised) case-studies of men that have accessed help;

• having a male champion at work to encourage accessing help.

“This is a solvable issue,” says Brett Hill, Distribution Director at Towergate. “Many employers will already have the resources to offer support but those who do not should consider putting them in place. It is all about making access visible, easy, and stigma-free.”

Get pro-active

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Just because many more people are talking about mental health at work now, there are more open conversations, more resources and tools for support, doesn’t mean the root problems have been dealt with.

“There’s something superficial about the acceptance of mental health as an issue at work – it doesn’t mean that everyone (men or women) are able or willing to admit they are struggling or that they can’t cope with stress, depression and anxiety on their own. The evidence now backs this up.

“HR can’t afford to assume that because they have an EAP in place, and there are regular mental health comms, that services are going to be used when really needed. Using the EAP, for some, is still something that other people use, when there’s a crisis, it’s nothing to do with them.

“More pro-active effort is needed to create a culture when people, and men in particular, feel able to talk to someone early on. As a matter of course, and not just when they’ve reached a serious low.”

Why don’t more men use the EAP? EAPA UK

What happens if employees can’t open up about their health?

In a survey by Benenden Health, 43% of employees admitted they wouldn’t feel confident about discussing any health problems with their organisation.

The main reason given was the fear that opening up would have negative consequences for their career. Relationships would change. Any kind of ‘sickness’ would count against theme when it came to conversations about performance and consideration for promotion. 27% thought they would be in danger of losing their job as a result.

The issue people were least likely to want to mention was their mental health. 36% reported lying to their boss about the reason for an appointment relating to mental wellbeing.

These concerns were backed up by the findings from employers themselves. 28% said they would have doubts about offering support on health, even when it came to established, long-serving staff. 19% added that while they might have employed someone with pre-existing health conditions in the past, they wouldn’t be doing it again.

Unhealthy habits

More than half of UK employees have a long-term health issue or disability, claims the research, meaning large proportions of the workforce feeling unable to be open about their condition or access support and benefits.

In turn, there are risks of apathy, disengagement, higher levels of absence, lower productivity – and people just deciding they will find a more conducive and supportive environment with another employer.

Naomi Thompson, Head of OD and Benenden Health, pointed to outdated attitudes to recruiting people with long-term health issues: “This stigma is especially prevalent in the workplace, with businesses too often unable to identify wellbeing issues, employees concerned about the implications of discussing them and a continuing lack of tangible support, all of which contribute to lost time and productivity for businesses as well as unaddressed poor employee wellbeing.”

Being human

“Surely we’ve gone past the stage where people have to stop being themselves when they walk through the door or log on to the organisation’s IT platform?” asks EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell. “Do we really have to become impersonal, efficient robots?”

“Organisations only get the most from their people when they can be their whole selves. When they feel comfortable in their own skin, able to trust the people around them. That’s the way to tap into people’s true potential in terms of teamworking and creativity, as well as effort and engagement.

“Being able to talk honestly about health, physical and mental is all part of that process of unlocking people’s full potential. An EAP is a critical part of a support offering, the chance to speak in confidence with professionals. But this needs to be part of a wider culture of healthy attitudes to people and what really constitutes being strong: hiding your worries or facing up to them head-on?”

What happens if employees can’t open up about their health? Eugene Farrell

Are you truly supporting employees?

Despite 18 months during which mental health has been a top priority for HR, surveys among employees continue to point to both high levels of concerns and disappointment at the actual level of support being delivered when it’s needed. According to a survey last year by Second Sight, for example, more than half of employees were looking for more employer-led mental health support.

Is that because employers are not providing the right forms of support, or people find a reluctance among line managers to engage?

Fujitsu has recently been talking about how it’s been trying to overcome both of these issues for its 9,000 UK and Ireland employees.

Do it Your Way

Kelly Metcalf, Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing at Fujitsu has pointed to four key strands to the organisation’s approach.

The first is making sure line managers are equipped with the knowledge and wellbeing tools in order to be ready and willing to help. That includes allowing time for regular one-to-ones and getting to know individual personalities in their teams.

Fujitsu has a Mental Health at Work Commitment which people at all levels are invited to sign up to, to focus attention and demonstrate commitment. As part of this, leaders and other staff share their own experiences of mental health issues in order to encourage more open conversations.

An EAP is “highly valued” and made available to all staff, their family members and dependents. Counselling is the most used service from the EAP offering. This is backed up by a group of employee volunteers who are trained Mental Health First Aiders.

Finally, Kelly Metcalf has talked about the importance of making mental health awareness a part of everyday practices. At Fujitsu there is a ‘Work Your Way’ hour. Each week employees are given one hour in their work calendars to use on any kind of activity that improves their wellbeing. Staff have used their free time to go rowing on the river nearby to the HQ, go for walks, read books and bake cakes.

Stay fresh 

“Paying attention to mental health at work has become critical. It’s also become something very ‘normal’, an expected, typical part of HR and management routines – and there’s a danger that mental wellbeing becomes a tick in the box and forgotten,” said EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell.

“HR need to help keep strategies fresh. Fujitsu’s strategy is an example of pro-active efforts, and most importantly, a willingness to get to the core of practice, the value of involving senior management in setting the tone and demonstrating their willingness to get involved with supporting people.”

Are you truly supporting employees ? Eugene Farrell

Can we talk about suicide?

Suicide continues to be the most common cause of death for men under 50 – and the cause of around 1 in every 100 deaths worldwide.

When the Mental Health Foundation talked to people in the UK about mental health and the pandemic, asking whether they had experienced thoughts or feelings about suicide within the previous two weeks, in April 2020 8% said they had. But by February 2021 this had climbed to 13%.

While there is more understanding of mental health in workplaces and in society as a whole, the shock-ing, devastating nature of suicide means there is still a stigma – making it much harder for HR, manag-ers and staff themselves to talk about.

Promoting hope

World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September 2021) has highlighted ways that everyone can provide support, founded on the importance of giving someone hope:

“You can help give someone hope by showing that you care. All of us can play a role, no matter how small. We may never know what we do that makes a difference. We all can reach in and ask some-body. You do not need to tell them what to do or have solutions, but simply making the time and space to listen to someone about their experiences of distress or suicidal thoughts can help.”

The Prevention Day organisers point to the need to ‘change the narrative’ on suicide through a situa-tion where more people feel able to ask for help and talk about the full extent of their negative thoughts and feelings. Most importantly, they say, there’s a need to share personal stories of emo-tional distress, suicidal thoughts or attempt, and their experiences of recovery in order to inspire hope.

Involving professionals

“While suicide remains a stigma, it’s so important that employees don’t feel they have to remain si-lent,” says EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell. “Because they are ashamed about how they are feeling. Talking about stress is one thing, suicidal thoughts are

“That’s why early and immediate access to EAP counsellors is critical. An anonymous and confidential conversation makes it possible to admit the extent of negative feelings. A call with a professional can then also be the first step towards ensuring the right help is received at the right time, and be the basis for re-building a sense of normality and ways forward.”

Do wellbeing initiatives make employees feel worse?

University of Cambridge research has found that stress management classes, apps, coaching and other wellbeing events have no benefits for employee mental health.

Stress management classes, in particular, were found to lead to more stress. The findings come from an analysis of evidence from Britain’s Healthiest Workplace (26,471 employees working for 128 UK employers), comparing the wellbeing levels of those who participated in various wellbeing initiatives with those who had not.

The only staff who benefited were those who took part in volunteering or charity work.

Too convenient?

“These types of interventions appear to be a convenient option for employers concerned with mental health, including the government, which as an employer implements various wellbeing programmes throughout the civil service and NHS,” said researcher William Fleming.

“Merely offering short-term programmes or classes is not satisfactory for solving long-standing problems of worker wellbeing.”

Instead, employers need to be thinking more in terms of the working conditions and the role of management – the responsibility at the top not just the workforce.

“It should not be the role of employees to persistently address their own mental health, but that of management to comprehensively consider and address the structures of work which cause harm through stress, trauma and uncertainty.”

No short-term fixes

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “That can be the problem with one-off classes or digital tools. They focus attention onto problems, make people self-conscious and focused on themselves and their state of mind. Sometimes that is going to mean more problems, not less – a greater sense of another duty and responsibility to do something about.

“We know from so many years of experience that employees are looking for an outlet for their built-up pressures. An independent source of support. Not just more attention to their performance and the need to somehow ‘perfect’ themselves. That means access to professional support and a route to solutions.”