Julie Dennis, Head of Inclusive Workplaces Policy at Acas (The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), said: “Time To Talk Day is a great opportunity for employers to raise awareness of well-being at work and to be approachable and available for workers that want to talk about their mental health.
“Taking the time to talk openly about mental health can avoid problems building up and lead to improved morale at work. It might be difficult for someone to talk about their mental health so it’s important for managers to be respectful, supportive and reassuring.”
Acas has some top tips for employers on talking about mental health at work:
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.
Address any individual communication preferences such as asking team members if they prefer to talk face-to-face, over the phone, through video meetings or by email.
Respect confidentiality and be calm, patient, supportive and reassuring if a staff member wants to have a chat about their mental health.
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 first aider or a counsellor.
Workplace expert, Acas, has published new advice on neurodiversity to help employers create inclusive organisations and raise awareness at work.
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. Some well-known types of neurodiversity include ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia:
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and affects people’s behaviour;
Autism is sometimes called a spectrum condition and affects how people communicate and interact with the world;
Dyslexia mostly affects reading and writing skills and is sometimes referred to as a learning difficulty; and
Dyspraxia affects movement and co-ordination
A lot of neurodivergent people do not see themselves as disabled but will often be considered as having a disability under the Equality Act.
Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces, Julie Dennis, said: “Employees may not want to tell people that they are neurodiverse or may mask their condition due to concerns about a negative reaction at work.
“Bosses also need be aware that the strengths and challenges that come with a neurodiverse condition may not be the same for everyone.
“Our new advice has tips for employers on how to raise awareness, be inclusive, sensitive and stay within the law when managing neurodiversity at work.”
The Equality Act gives disabled employees protection against discrimination and the right to reasonable adjustments at work. A reasonable adjustment is a change that an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability.
Acas ran its own poll on neurodiversity with 1650 line managers in November last year. It asked about the barriers to making a reasonable adjustment for neurodiverse employees. The barriers identified by respondents included:
Over seven out of ten (72%) said employees not disclosing the need for a reasonable adjustment;
Lack of organisational knowledge about neurodiversity was reported by 45%; and
39% said it was due to line managers finding it difficult to have the conversation.
Acas advice is that employers should make their organisation more inclusive so that staff feel comfortable sharing and talking about neurodiversity.
Raising awareness can help normalise it, which can help ensure employees get the support they need. Being inclusive can help:
improve staff wellbeing;
reduce absence levels and employee turnover;
attract employees with a wider range of skills and experience; and
reduce the risk of disputes and legal claims on discrimination.
Acas has some top tips for employers on raising awareness of neurodiversity at work such as:
include it in their organisation’s mandatory training;
run awareness days and campaigns;
encourage senior employees to act as role models;
set up a staff network for neurodiversity; and
cover the topic in induction materials.
Acas’s full advice has information about various different types of neurodiversity, their common traits, how the Equality Act 2010 applies to neurodiverse employees, how to support people, raise awareness and approach it sensitively at work:
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;
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.
A new survey from workplace expert Acas has found that around nine in ten employees (89%) think it is important for bosses to prioritise staff mental health at work.
Acas is encouraging employers to talk to their staff to ensure mental wellbeing is supported in the workplace.
Not everyone will show obvious signs of poor mental health. Some possible signs include:
appearing tired, anxious or withdrawn
increase in sickness absence or being late to work
changes in the standard of their work or focus on tasks
being less interested in tasks they previously enjoyed
changes in usual behaviour, mood or how the person behaves with the people they work with.
Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces, Julie Dennis, said: “Bosses should treat poor mental health at work in the same way as physical illnesses and regularly ask their staff how they are doing.
“Some people with poor mental health can also be considered disabled under the Equality Act, which means an employer must make reasonable adjustments at work.
“Mental health includes emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how someone thinks, feels and behaves. Having conversations with staff in a sympathetic way can be a good first step.”
By law (Equality Act 2010) someone with poor mental health can be considered to be disabled if:
it has a ‘substantial adverse effect’ on their life – for example, they regularly cannot focus on a task, or it takes them longer to complete tasks
it lasts, or is expected to last, at least 12 months
it affects their ability to do their normal day-to-day activities – for example, interacting with people, following instructions or keeping set working times.
When making reasonable adjustments for mental health, employers should take into account that:
every job is different, so what works in one situation might not work in another
every employee is different, so what works for one employee might not work for another
mental health changes over time, so what works for an employee now might not work in the future
most reasonable adjustments are relatively
easy and are of little to low cost but can make all the difference.
It’s a good idea to work with the employee to make the right adjustments for them, even if the issue is not a disability. Often, simple changes to the person’s working arrangements or responsibilities could be enough.
They can cover any area of work, be inexpensive to implement and as simple as giving someone more frequent, shorter breaks or providing quiet rest areas.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 18.5million days were lost in 2022 through sickness absence for mental health conditions.
Employers now have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and create a safe working environment
New duty under the Equality Act 2010 will require employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
New guidance for employers on how they can protect their staff.
New measure comes into force as further legislation goes through Parliament to boost economic growth by tackling poor productivity, insecure work and broken industrial relations.
From Saturday 26 October, employees can expect their employers to take reasonable steps to protect them from sexual harassment as a new duty comes into force.
Employers now have a duty to anticipate when sexual harassment may occur and take reasonable steps to prevent it. If sexual harassment has taken place, an employer should take action to stop it from happening again. This sends a clear signal to all employers that they must take reasonable preventative steps against sexual harassment, encourage cultural change where necessary, and reduce the likelihood of sexual harassment occurring.
Anneliese Dodds, Minister for Women and Equalities, said: “This government is determined to ensure that we not only Make Work Pay; we also make work safe.
“Too many people feel uncomfortable or unsafe at work due to sexual harassment and we are putting every effort into putting a stop to it. The preventative duty is an important step on the journey, and we will continue to improve protections for workers until everyone can thrive.
“The Equality Act provides legal protections against sexual harassment in the workplace. Despite this, persistent reports and revelations in recent years indicate that it remains a problem. So from today employers will be required to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.
“We will strengthen this duty through our Employment Rights Bill, which had its Second Reading this week, and will boost economic growth by tackling poor productivity, insecure work and broken industrial relations.”
Guidance for employers on developing appropriate plans and policies has been published by the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
This includes what behaviour needs to be addressed and how complaints should be handled, to help employers protect their staff and avoid tribunals.
Workplace expert Acas is encouraging employers and their staff to create a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment at work ahead of a change in law this week.
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 comes into effect on 26 October 2024, introducing a legal duty for employers to proactively take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
Acas is suggesting employers create a culture where sexual harassment is understood to be unacceptable, including anyone in a position of authority.
This includes developing a policy on sexual harassment, training managers on their responsibilities, and creating an environment where people feel safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and situations where they felt unsafe.
According to a recent Acas survey, 14% of employers and 6% of employees said they had witnessed sexual harassment in their workplace.
Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces Julie Dennis said: “Sexual harassment is unacceptable at work or anywhere else. We want everyone to understand this, and we are urging employers to take a proactive approach to stamping it out.
“Proper policies and training for managers can help eliminate the potential for sexual harassment to occur. They can also help foster environments where staff feel empowered to report any harassment and avoid it before it occurs.”
Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.
Under the new law, employers must take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.
They must not wait until something has happened before they take action.
This covers harassment from colleagues, whether at work or in settings connected to work, and also harassment from third parties such as customers, service users or members of the public.
In order to identify and address risks, employers need to:
consider the risks of sexual harassment happening in their organisation
consider steps they could take to reduce the risks of sexual harassment happening
consider which of those steps are reasonable for them to take.
Two new reports from workplace expert Acas show that groups involved in industrial disputes are increasingly polarised.
The reports look at people’s perceptions of group workplace conflict in Britain and Acas’s role in helping to resolve them.
Acas is the leading authority on workplace relations and dispute resolution in Great Britain.
Acas provides a free, impartial and voluntary collective conciliation service, which means when there is a disagreement between an employer and a group of employees, Acas can help both sides try to come to an agreement and settle the dispute.
The evaluation shows that Acas’s collective conciliation remains highly rated amongst those who use it; but those involved in workplace conflict are becoming more polarised and are increasingly unsure how to resolve the issue.
Decreasing negotiation skills, lack of experience of handling collective conflict, increasingly polarised starting positions and challenging economic and political factors have all contributed to an increase in parties seeking Acas’s help.
Acas Director of Dispute Resolution Kate Nowickisaid: “Industrial disputes increased last year against a challenging economic and political backdrop, and we have seen the landscape of collective workplace conflict become more complex, with opposing positions often more entrenched.
“Despite this, our research shows that satisfaction levels amongst Acas customers remain very high. We are listening carefully to what people say about us, gaining new insights to make sure that our conciliation service is as good as it can be.
“This validation of the service comes at an important time, as the employment relations landscape faces significant change with the introduction of the government’s Employment Rights Bill.”
Acas Chief Conciliator Marina Glasgowadded: “The report underlines the importance of Acas as an impartial, independent expert in workplace disputes and it reflects our success.
“I’m delighted that the research shows that the vast majority of our customers get good outcomes for their organisations. Turning to Acas is a hallmark of success, not failure, and this research validates that choice.
“It is extremely satisfying to be able to help people in heated, entrenched situations come out the other side able to shake hands and move forward.”
Acas was involved in 618 collective disputes between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024.
More than one-third of women (36%) believe they do not get the same pay as men at their organisation, according to a new survey.
Ahead of International Equal Pay Day (18th September), workplace expert Acas commissioned YouGov to survey perceptions of pay equality.
The survey showed that more than one-third of women believed they were not being paid as much as men.
The survey also showed that just 10% of men believed they were being paid more than women.
By law, men and women must get equal pay for doing ‘equal work’.
Acas’s individual dispute resolution service, Early Conciliation, which helps to resolve potential employment tribunal claims, saw a 34% increase between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces Julie Dennis said: “Having an equal pay policy can help bosses be open and clear with their staff about how they achieve equal pay and how they will resolve any pay issues.
“This can help tackle any perceptions that men are being paid more than women and help ensure employers are not breaking the law.
“Women doing equal work to their male colleagues should not be paid less and employers should be consistent when deciding people’s pay and contractual terms and conditions.”
“Acas has advice for employers on setting equal pay policies, and performing an “equal pay audit” if businesses have more than 50 employees. An “equal pay review” is for businesses that have fewer than 50 staff to check for potential issues.
“Employees who believe they are not receiving equal pay should talk to their employer to try to resolve the issue. Acas also provides advice on raising the issue formally as a grievance and making an equal pay claim.”
Workplace expert, Acas, has issued top tips today to help employers prepare for potential issues that could arise during the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris that start on Friday.
Paris 2024 will take place between Friday 26 July and Sunday 11 August 2024. Acas advises employers and small businesses to have agreements in place that cover requests for time off, sickness absence, website use during working hours or watching TV during this period.
Relais de la flamme des Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024, Val-de-Marne
Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “Paris 2024 will be an exciting event for many sports fans but staff should avoid getting disqualified for unreasonable demands or behaviour in the workplace during this period.
“For many businesses, maintaining a certain staffing level is critical in order to survive and sprint to that finish line. Employers should have a set of simple workplace agreements in place before the starting gun goes off for the Olympic Games. These agreements can help ensure businesses remain productive while keeping staff happy too, which are key ingredients for a gold medal winning team line up.
“Our top tips can help managers get the best from their team athletes by planning for potential hurdles, arranging team relay handovers if necessary and avoiding unnecessary false starts.”
Acas offers some top tips for employers to consider for the 2024 Olympic Games:
Time Off – Employers may wish to look at being a little more flexible when allowing employees time off during this period and employees should remember that it may not always be possible to book a holiday. The key is for both parties to try and come to an agreement. All requests for leave should be considered fairly. A consistent approach should be applied for holiday requests for other major sporting events too.
Sickness absence – Employers may want to remind staff that their sickness and attendance policies will still apply during the Olympics. Any unauthorised absence, patterns of absence or late attendance are likely to be investigated and could result in formal proceedings.
Flexibility – One possible option is to have a more flexible working day. Employees could come in a little later or finish sooner and then agree when this time can be made up.
Allowing staff to listen to the radio or watch the TV may be another possible option. Employers could also allow staff to take a break during popular events. Another option is to look at allowing staff to swap shifts with their manager’s permission.
It is important for employers to be fair and consistent with all staff if they allow additional benefits during the Olympics. Any change in hours or flexibility in working hours should be approved before the event.
Use of social media and websites – there may be an increase in the use of social media or websites covering Paris 2024. Employers may wish to remind staff of any policies on the use of social media and websites during working hours. The policies should be clear on what is and is not acceptable web use.
Inflationary pressures and cuts in real pay in many sectors have continued to trigger disputes across the public and private sectors in the last year according to workplace expert, Acas, in its latest annual report.
The new annual report covers the period from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.
Acas Chair, Clare Chapman, said: “It has been another exceptionally demanding year for Acas and our staff have worked hard to help spread good work practice and resolve conflict in a challenging economic climate.
“The past 12 months have seen continuing inflationary pressures and a cut in real pay across the economy that are key drivers for collective disputes. Acas experts handled more than 600 of these disputes over the past year and resolved 94% of them.
“Our individual dispute resolution service also performed very strongly and helped to prevent costly and distressing court action for tens of thousands of employers and employees.
“The service dealt with over 100,000 cases during the year and over one million in the last decade. These successes have benefitted businesses and workers across Britain.”
Key facts and figures from this year’s annual report, include:
Acas was involved in 618 collective disputes between employers and groups of workers with a settlement rate of 94%. Pay was the leading cause of the disputes.
The individual dispute resolution service at Acas, which helps to resolve potential employment tribunal claims, dealt with 104,884 notifications for ‘early conciliation’. Seven out of 10 cases avoided the need for an employment tribunal. Wages were the top cause of conflict, followed by unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.
The Acas website continues to be popular for employers and employees seeking advice on workplace rights. Customers accessed its web pages 17.9 million times in 2023-24.
The Acas helpline answered 578,463 calls from employers and employees across Great Britain. Discipline, dismissal and grievance were the top topics for calls.
Acas trained over 40,000 people in good workplace practice. 93% of attendees said their course met their objectives.
Acas has made significant efficiencies in key service costs. The cost of handling a case in our collective and individual conciliation services has been reduced by 30% and 11% respectively.
A full copy of the 2023-2024 Acas Annual Report can be viewed here:
