Supporting Employees Around Mental Health & Wellbeing: Duty of Care

Employers have a duty of care towards the mental health and wellbeing of their employees. While the focus on mental health in the games industry is becoming increasingly recognised, there is still a long way to go in terms of ensuring that employers are providing adequate support and resources for their staff.

This is particularly important given the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on mental health, with many employees experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

One way that employers can promote good mental health is by providing access to counselling services or Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs).

These services can help employees who may be struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or stress. EAPs typically provide confidential counselling services, as well as resources such as self-help guides and online tools that employees can use to support their mental health.

Another important step that employers can take to promote good mental health is to create a culture that supports openness and encourages employees to seek help if they are struggling.

This can involve training managers to recognise the signs of mental health issues and providing them with the tools and resources they need to support their staff.

Employers should also consider providing training to all employees on mental health awareness, so that everyone in the organisation has a basic understanding of mental health and is able to recognise the signs that someone may be struggling.

Flexible working arrangements can also be an effective way to support the mental health and wellbeing of employees. For example, allowing employees to work from home or adjust their working hours can help to reduce stress and improve work-life balance.

Employers should also ensure that they are providing a safe and healthy working environment, with appropriate breaks and rest periods to help employees manage their workload and prevent burnout.

Finally, it is important for employers to recognise that mental health and wellbeing is an ongoing process, and that support should be provided throughout an employee’s career.

This can involve providing regular check-ins with managers or HR, offering ongoing training and support, and regularly reviewing policies and practices to ensure that they are effective in supporting employees’ mental health.