World Mental Health Day is 10 October each year. This day is aimed at raising awareness in mental health issues and promoting mental well-being globally.
Established by the World Federation for mental Health in 1992, it encourages conversations around mental health with the aim to reduce stigma and highlight access to mental health care. Each year is a different theme, and this year's theme is workplace mental health.
It is estimated that 15% of the UK workforce have an existing mental health condition and that 875,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, depression and anxiety.
People with ongoing mental health problems are likely to meet the definition of having a disability under the Equality Act (2010) in England, Scotland and Wales and the Disability Discrimination Act (1995, as amended) in Northern Ireland. This means that people with mental health problems are protected from discrimination and harassment and are entitled to reasonable adjustments to adapt their job or work.
In the legal profession, observing World Mental Health Day is important due to the stress that we usually experience as part of our day-to-day jobs. We are therefore responsible to make sure we help create a mentally healthy workplace for ourselves and our colleagues.
Here are some ways that you, and your firm, could recognise World Mental Health Day, and put measures in place long-term:
Workshops / events: Events focusing on stress management, mindfulness, and resilience, as well as fun activities that allow us to switch off from work – even just for an hour. The Mental Health Foundation recommend a 'Tea &Talk' session to get people involved.
Promote Open Conversations: Encourage discussions about mental health within your firm or network to reduce stigma and share experiences.
Share Resources: Distribute information about mental health resources, including hotlines, counselling services, and self-care strategies.
Encourage Time Off: Advocate for mental health days and encourage colleagues to take breaks when needed.
Lead by Example: Share your own experiences with mental health challenges, if comfortable, to normalise these discussions.
Create Support Groups: Establish or participate in peer support groups where colleagues can discuss challenges and coping strategies. If your workplace doesn’t have one then why not make one?!
Engage in Community Activities: Participate in or sponsor local events that promote mental health awareness. Even attending local networking events, such as the DJLD events, can help create a network of like-minded people who might be feeling similar to you.
Advocate change: Work towards improving mental health resources and support systems within your workplace. Think about what resources are available, and what are lacking – if you think it would be useful for you then it is likely it would be useful for someone else too.
In 2022, mental health was the 5th most common reason for absence from work, so it is incredibly important that workplaces promote and encourage engagement with talking about mental health. If you are struggling with your mental health, please remember you are not alone and the DJLD are here as a support group as well as the wonderful resources below (to name a few):
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