P


ost-pandemic, mental wellbeing remains a very real issue for globally mobile populations. The


latest AXA Global Healthcare ‘Mind Health Index’ shows only one in ten expats aged 18- 24 are ‘flourishing’, with the majority (55%) reporting they are ‘languishing or struggling’ (the lowest outcomes). Over two-thirds (71%) are struggling with stress, 30% with depression and 16% with anxiety. The oldest group sampled (65-74) report their mental health more positively. Yet one in five – a figure similar to the general population – are still ‘languishing or struggling’. These findings have significant implications, not just


for


people’s quality of life, but also organisational performance. Data such as this, and the World Health Organisation’s message this World Mental Health Day that “mental wellbeing is a human right”, are therefore timely reminders for employers of their duty to support every employee. This includes creating the conditions for people to ask for help and receive treatment without fear of jeopardising their careers, wherever they are on assignment or in their career. For many employers, this will


mean refreshing their thinking and upgrading approaches to recognise both


the interconnectedness


of work with mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing, and balancing this with much greater awareness of the impact of people’s lives outside the workplace in the workplace.


CHECKING IN ON MENTAL WELLBEING Fortunately, many of the world’s largest employers are doing just that. Linking with the demand for greater transparency around the entirety of the ESG spectrum, ethical investor CCLA’S ‘Corporate Mental Health Benchmark 2023’ assesses the actions of 110 companies in 17 countries with more than 10,000 employees. Published on World Mental


Health Day, CCLA’s benchmark shows that for 95% of large employers, mental health is universally recognised as an important business concern. Almost eight in ten now offer internal or external mental health support (78%), up from 72% in 2022. The benchmark also shows where much more can be achieved. The average score on the benchmark remains low at 28% (25% in 2022), fewer CEOS are championing the issue (17%, down from 19% in 2022) and 22% of companies fail to communicate the mental health training available to line managers. These findings are echoed


across similar surveys of employees’ experiences, especially for men, who have historically found it more difficult to access mental wellbeing support. “It took me until my mid- 20s to start to understand how to navigate those conversations,” says co-founder of The New Normal peer-to-peer support network, Benjamin May. “I grew up really working class. I was told to show strength. Then I began to explore my experiences, learn how to understand and articulate myself.


If you keep holding things inside, then it will build up until you have no capacity left.” This interplay between social


and cultural norms and employer intention and action was explored in Netherlands-based workplace training platform GoodHabitz’s engaging webinar, ‘Time to Thrive.’ Joining GoodHabitz HR director Sandrien Boogaard on the World Mental Health Day broadcast were Charlot Pagel, people and culture manager at


Switzerland-headquartered


outdoor clothing manufacturer, Mammut, Mar Casas, aeronautical psychologist at Spanish airline,


“ The goal is to raise the bar for workplace support, create positive culture change, improve personal wellbeing, organisational performance and productivity. Creating a workplace environment where your people feel it’s safe to open up is crucial for their wellbeing.”


AIMEE CLARKE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF GOODHABITZ STUDIOS


41


GLOBAL LEADERSHIP WELLBEING MENTAL HEALTH


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