Busting Stigma in the Workplace

Episode Three – Walk The Talk

Listen to our conversation with Dan Strachan, Crisis Recovery Service Coordinator at Richmond Borough Mind charity, where we discuss the stigma that surrounds stress, burnout and mental ill health in the workplace and ways to help bust stigma at an individual and organisational level.

April is Stress Awareness Month – an opportunity to raise awareness in the subject of stress in the workplace and to help bust the stigma that prevents so many from getting help.

Stigma is sadly one the main reasons that holds people back from moving from minimum mental wellbeing to maximum mental wellbeing.

And there are some staggering statistics around stress, mental ill health and the associated stigma:

1 in 5 people take a day off due to stress. Yet, 90% of these people cited a different reason for their absence (Time to Change charity).

60% said that stigma and discrimination are as, or more, damaging than the symptoms of their mental health problem (Institute of Psychiatry).

Less than half of employees say they would feel able to talk openly with their line manager if they were suffering from stress (Time to Change charity).

So, the more we as individuals and as organisations can do to help break down this stigma, then the more likely people will be to open up and go on to seek the appropriate help and support that they might need.

And if you are interested in learning more about our Mental Health Awareness Training  – this page details more about how we support businesses when it comes to safeguarding employees.

Check out our dedicated page about our Building Resilient and High Performing Teams manager training which covers psychological safety.