Originating from a 2005 press release from Sky Travel which cited the work of psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnall, Blue Monday continues to serve as a wake-up call for businesses to look after their employees.
Not that employers particularly need a such a call. According to research from Mental Health First Aid England only 17% of employees feel like going to work each day. At the same time 1 in 10 employees say they never feel inspired by their job and less than a quarter (23%) feel enthusiastic about their job on a daily basis.
Dr. Arnall arrived at the third Monday in January as the least happy day of the year by considering factors such as the weather, debt levels after Christmas and a general feeling of the need to take action. Today world events and the cost-of-living crisis can be added to these reasons not to be cheerful.
GRiD the industry body for the group risk sector, has released figures showing that, over the past decade, mental health conditions have been either the first or second highest cause of claims by employees on work-sponsored group income protection (GIP) policies. In 2023 – when the latest data was available – 22% of GIP claims were for mental illness which was just shy of the 24% for cancer, the most claimed-for condition.
Pre-emptive strategy delivers results
“Our data highlights that mental illness has been, and continues to be, a really significant issue for employees, but it is also where pre-emptive strategies and timely interventions can have a profound effect,” comments Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD. “If Blue Monday is said to be the most depressing day of the year for staff, it’s worth sparing a moment to think about how those who are already struggling with their mental health might be feeling at this time. Ensuring that workplace support is readily available, easily accessible and fit for purpose will give employees the best possible chance of being a present and productive member of staff during what can be some depressing days and months of the year.”
Christine Husbands, commercial director of nurse-led support organisation RedArc advocates a holistic approach which offers ongoing support and intervention rather than only being accessed when the individual feels the need: “When considering support for mental health, the default option may be to offer short blocks of talking therapies, but these have their limitations,” she says. “Individuals are usually better served in the first instance, by having a mental health specialist to talk to more regularly who can offer holistic help.
“A holistic approach delivered by a specialist mental health practitioner gives individuals a comprehensive and personalised foundation of support,” Husbands adds. “When this is in place, the specialist can use their expertise to assess whether additional therapies are needed, which type would be most beneficial, and when it is required, to quickly arrange it while the need is apparent.”
Understand your employees
Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive of MHFA England advocates that understanding employees is the key to helping them achieve motivation and wellbeing in the workplace. To help with this, her organisation has published My Whole Self: My plan for working well, a personal, proactive tool which helps employees and managers identify what keeps them and their colleagues working well.
The plan also encourages psychological safety in the workplace, one of the key drivers of motivation, engagement and performance.
MHFA England’s research found lack of motivation for work particularly acute among junior managers. Here, 1 in 5 (19%) do not feel appreciated for their work and 22% never feel inspired by their job. As the organisation notes if managers are feeling like this, what hope is there for their teams?
“Organisations and employers can make a difference through providing meaningful opportunities to have a voice and contribute to decision making, by offering inspiring and purpose-driven work and finally, ensuring access to wellbeing and mental health support,” comments Dr. Melissa Carr, Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the World of Work Institute, Henley Business School, reacting to the MHFA findings. “By addressing these needs and providing better support to junior managers, organisations can create workplaces where people not only thrive, but they feel valued and supported.”
A ‘people-centric approach’ throughout
Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Chief People Officer at Dayforce highlights financial initiatives such as on-demand pay as useful in mitigating specific areas of worry among employees. However, she also emphasises the need to take a holistic approach: “a truly people-centric approach to HR also involves investing in resources for mental and physical health, such as Employee Assistance Programmes, fitness benefits, or holistic wellness programmes,” she says. “It’s also essential to foster a culture where employees feel safe sharing their needs and confident that their voices are heard. This can be achieved through one-on-one conversations with managers and HR team members, listening surveys, or focus groups.”
As GRiD’s Katharine Moxham states: “Mental health support needs to be in place all year round – it’s by no means something that can or should be addressed in January alone.”
