Don't panic ! Don't panic !
Can you speak out at work ? If you are stressed and feeling vulnerable - could you tell your boss or colleagues ? How honest can you be in the workplace ? For me that is the crucial question on mental health and employment. Do you feel able to confide in work colleagues that you are suffering right now and need some support and encouragement ?
For me, prevention is better than the cure. Allowing people to talk openly about mental health issues which may be affecting their lives and job can make a huge difference to those individuals and their productivity. We all have 'downers' and face challenges in our personal lives - with a kind word and some genuine friendship we usually come through these periods - and perhaps a little more wiser and stronger for the experience.
For those of us who have been through bereavement or traumas of one kind or another the kindness of work colleagues is important and valued. These periods can test teamwork and reveal the quality (or otherwise) of management. For managers and business people having a positive attitude towards their staff's mental health and well-being can reap the rewards of improved loyalty and dedication. A small investment for such important gains !
So when a member of staff asks "Permission to speak ?" perhaps it is time for managers and Captain Mainwaring to provide a reassuring "Don't panic !".
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here