Less than half of managers feel staff can bring 'whole selves' to work

A survey of 2,000 people with management responsibilities from Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA) England, released to mark My Whole Self Day (14 March), revealed that most managers recognise how vital it is to create inclusive working environments.

A third (32%) say it negatively impacts people’s mental health when people are unable to be themselves at work, and a similar number say productivity dips (36%). 

When asked what would help create a culture where everyone can bring their whole self to work, 41% of managers said improved awareness of different people’s life experiences. 42% stated a better understanding of people’s needs and personal circumstances and over a quarter (29%), said more training would help.  

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Managers also reported that they believe their teams are experiencing poor mental health, with a third saying they thought team members were feeling "run down".

And managers themselves are also feeling the pressure, with a staggering 75% saying they had experienced symptoms of mental ill health due to work-related stress or anxiety in the past six months.

 
Simon Blake, Chief Executive of MHFA England and Companion of the Chartered Management Institute, said: “Like many, I became a manager as part of progression in my role, not because I had learnt the art of managing people. It wasn’t until later when I had training that I really understood the confidence, skills and understanding required to be a good manager.

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“People management is too often a role that organisations fail to invest in. I feel passionately that managers should have the time and training to enable them to do the job well. Investing in training for those with people management responsibilities will help create inclusive team cultures where everyone is seen, heard and valued.

Daisy Hooper, Head of Policy and Innovation at the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), said: “Line managers play a crucial role in supporting employees’ mental health and wellbeing. They may be the first port of call for someone who is struggling or they may be best placed to notice when a colleague’s behaviour changes. However, many lack the necessary training to effectively manage the increasing range of mental health problems in the workplace.
 
“At CMI, we whole-heartedly endorse MHFA England’s call for managers to be equipped with the skills to bring out the very best in their teams. This includes empowering managers to support their teams, listen to employees, and demonstrate empathy, particularly when dealing with difficult conversations. To do this, they need to encourage people to feel confident to bring their whole selves to work."

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Nicola Gillis, Vice President HR at HCA Healthcare UK, said: “At HCA Healthcare UK, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life and so naturally we understand our colleagues may need support with their mental health too.
 
"We hope to break barriers through this initiative and allow colleagues who are experiencing mental health issues to feel able to ask for, and accept help.
 
"I’m so very proud of this work and of our network of wonderful MHFAiders® equipped with their superb training provided by MHFA England.”