Workplace expert, Acas, is urging bosses to check in on their staff as its helpline statistics revealed a rise in mental health related calls in Autumn / Winter compared to Spring / Summer.
The Acas helpline saw an almost 20% rise in calls on mental health in the Autumn and Winter months combined compared to the Spring and Summer months in 2024.
Blue Monday has been marked by some to be the most depressing day of the year but Acas advice is for employers to prioritise mental health throughout the year.
Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces, Julie Dennis, said: “Awareness days are a great way to raise the profile of mental health at work but bosses should be prioritising staff mental health throughout the year.
“Employers that create an environment where staff can openly talk about their mental health are better equipped to support them at work.
“Employees should also take steps to look after their own mental health and have coping strategies in place. Acas has advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work.”
Acas advice for employers on managing staff mental health include:
- Be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they’re having problems;
- Keep in regular contact with your team to check how they are coping;
- Respect confidentiality and be calm, patient, supportive and reassuring if a staff member wants to have a chat about their mental health;
- Consider whether someone may need workplace adjustments, for example working more flexibly;
- Look after your own mental health and get support if you feel under more pressure than usual. This support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor; and
- Clearly communicate the internal and external support available to staff. This can include offering practical help such as signposting to financial advice or bringing advice providers into work.
Acas advice for workers to support their own mental health and wellbeing include:
- Talk to people you work with or friends about how you’re feeling;
- Speak to your manager about how you’re doing, your situation, and ask what support is available;
- Reflect on what helps you feel more positive and what does not;
- Make time for activities you enjoy
For the full Acas advice, please see: www.acas.org.uk/mentalhealth
Acas has a range of training courses to help employers manage mental health at work.
Psychotherapist sends Blue Monday warning
AN EDINBURGH based mental health expert has warned that the concept of Blue Monday trivialises mental wellbeing – and may do more harm than good.
As a consultant psychotherapist and co-founder of The Anchor Practice, Paul Bell and the 13-strong team of clinicians form the largest private practice of its kind in Scotland, working with children, adolescents, young adults and families.
Paul said: “I find myself increasingly concerned about how this well-meaning but misguided concept of ‘Blue Monday’ impacts our understanding of mental health.
“While the day ostensibly aims to raise awareness about mental wellness, it actually risks trivialising the complex reality of depression and mental illness.”
“The notion that depression can be predicted by a specific date on the calendar not only promotes harmful pseudoscience but potentially undermines the gravity of mental health struggles known to be increasing in Scotland – particularly among our youth.”
The Anchor Practice team witness on a daily basis the profound challenges faced by individuals grappling with mental health issues.
He added: “Scotland currently faces unprecedented challenges in child and adolescent mental health, with waiting lists for specialist services at record levels. Against this backdrop, the commercialisation of mental health through concepts like Blue Monday is particularly tone-deaf.
“When major brands use this pseudo-event for marketing campaigns – whether selling holidays, gym memberships, or wellness products – they can inadvertently contribute to a superficial understanding of mental health.
“The fundamental issue with Blue Monday lies in its oversimplification of depression.”
The original concept for Blue Monday, originally created for a travel company’s PR campaign, claimed to use a mathematical formula considering factors like weather, debt levels, and time since Christmas.
Paul said: “This pseudo-scientific approach misrepresents both seasonal and clinical depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a clinically recognised condition that deserves proper understanding and treatment.
“The reality is that mental health support requires sustained, long-term commitment – both at a societal and individual level.
“This means securing long term funding for Scotland’s mental health services; improving access to professional support for children and adults and promoting genuine mental health education in schools and workplaces.”
The Anchor Practice is a multi-disciplinary clinic, offering a range of evidence-based treatments, but also specialises in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – a well-researched treatment for a variety of common mental disorders in children and adults.
Contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy is firmly rooted in high quality research and informed by contemporary understandings of neuroscience and developmental psychology.
Delivered by highly trained and regulated clinicians, psychodynamic therapy can provide sustained results, promoting deep, lasting change beyond symptom management.
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