It makes sense to train managers to recognise mental-health challenges in employees within their teams. After all, managers are often the first line of support for employees in distress. This makes it crucial to equip and sensitise managers to champion mental-health initiatives and establish a workplace that feels safe in every which way.
As per the State of Emotional Wellbeing Report 2024, by 1to1help, 30 per cent of employees who were referred for counselling by their managers showed signs of low suicidal risk, whereas a good 29 per cent displayed signs of high suicide risk. This is both good and bad news. Good because more managers seem to be noticing that their employees need help, and the bad news is that the number of employees in need of counseling is growing!
Studies have shown that 18 per cent of mental-health awareness sessions that were conducted in 2024 saw participation from managers who were trained to spot employees who were distressed and in need of counselling. The report is based on data from more than 83,000 counselling sessions, 12,000 elective screenings, and over 42,000 assessments conducted during the January to November 2024 period.
Interestingly, the report reveals that the dependents of employees are at higher risk of suicide than employees themselves. In fact, where seven per cent of the employees were at high suicide risk, nine per cent of dependents were at high risk of suicide.
That means organisations need to extend the benefits of employee assistance programmes or EAPs to include family members. This will make it possible to create an environment where employees’ personal and professional well-being is ensured. Providing counselling support to dependents is crucial in addressing family-related stress that does have a significant effect on an employee’s well-being and productivity
In addition to being the first line of support for distressed employees, managers are also the most accessible. Therefore, managers are the ones who need to be sensitive to mental-health challenges.
It is essential to have empathetic and skilled managers capable of ensuring that employees feel taken care of. Managers should be able to assure their team members that they are seen, heard and understood. Employees should be able to see a guide in their managers who is always available for support and help, which is much needed for their recovery and success.