DEPRESSION & ANXIETY: Effective strategies for nurturing the black dog

Did you know that in Q3 of 2022-23, antidepressants were the most prescribed class of drug?

More and more people are struggling with anxiety and depression, yet we conveniently turn a blind eye. It's easier to assume that employers are not responsible. However, when we consider the significant role work plays in mental health, whether that's adding to problems, or in contrast creating the conditions to thrive, we must take a collective responsibility.

This resource is all about depression and anxiety. It focuses on what you need to know to support the people in your organisation. It brings you practical, down-to-earth, realistic advice and strategies.

To accompany the launch of this resource, David Saab of The Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Jim Gabriel, Chief Commercial Officer at CardMedic, join Amantha King and I to discuss their experience of depression and anxiety in the workplace. They share what they have learned and what they know would have helped, with the benefit of hindsight.

Our intention is that people can use these lessons and our resource to engage purposefully with this agenda from the outset.

Turning the ongoing decline in mental health goes beyond webinars and self-care. This is about the fundamentals of good business that puts relationships and human needs at the heart of every-day practice.

Some of my key take-aways from this conversation:

❗️ Having the knowledge to articulate our feelings is important.

❓ How have you enabled your workforce to be self-aware and communicate effectively?

❗️ We need space to explore and make connections between how we feel and what we experience.

❓ How are you intentionally creating space to have meaningful conversations that unpick the impact of what people experience?

❗️ Nothing is more important than trust, and having peers who have your back and with whom you have genuine relationships.

❓ How do you put this aspect of your practice centre stage?

❗️ Companies claim to be more understanding but in reality people can still be reluctant to admit they're struggling.

❓ Do you know who is NOT speaking up?

Get beyond the eye-rolling of sceptics in your company by asking:

❓What is the evidence that what you currently do is working?

❓What do your numbers really show, for example around employee absence?

❓How onboard and competent are your leaders and managers to fulfil their responsibility?

It's time to challenge traditional ways of doing business and the 'easy' fixes that add to the noise. Instead, really examine practice within your organisation and start from a focus on what it means to be human. Compassion makes a real difference to employee performance.

Fact. Simple.

Download your free resource now: It's Time for Change: Resources

Let me know what you find most helpful, and what you need help with.

Resources & References

Leadership & Manager Labs (itstimeforchange.co.uk)Watch this episode on YouTube

Download the Resources and listen to/watch the episodes: It's Time for Change: Resources

Tackling Anxiety Collectively - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Managing Anxiety - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Anxiety: Revealing the Truth - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

13 Skills to Build Resilience - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Is Fear blocking your leadership? - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Leveraging ’Shuteye’ for Resilience (youtube.com)

Supporting Mental Health at Work | CIPD The Emotional Needs Audit - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk).

A short video explaining the resource and emotional needs: Is your wellbeing being affected by self-isolation? - Human Givens

Wellness Action Plan download | Mind, the mental health charity - help for mental health problems

Mental Health Onboarding – Anna Harrington & Lisa LLoyd | LinkedIn

Mental Health Onboarding - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

What do we mean by suicide prevention? - YouTube

Benefits of Working Outdoors - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Tool kit for employers wanting to develop a strategy around mental health: bitc-wellbeing-toolkit-mentalhealthforemployers-Jan2020.pdf

Responding to suicide risk in the workplace: a guide for people professionals (cipd.co.uk)

Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts | Samaritans If you think it's an emergency | Samaritans

Suicide prevention: Steve Phillip | LinkedIn Suicide prevention toolkit for workplaces Reducing the Risk - NSPA

More about Amantha:

Amantha King is a Workplace Menopause Coach & Strengths Development Consultant

She combines NLP coaching, neuroscience and wellbeing elements to guide companies and their employees to achieve their potential through strategies that focus on self-reflection, peak performance pathways and creating environments where employees can flourish.

By looking at the whole person, Amantha creates positive transformations that have lifelong positive outcomes. She is driven in educating and providing support through menopause awareness and training and is an advocate for sharing best practice within organisations who are looking to support their teams through meaningful actions. Her 3-step menopause programme assists companies in retaining their pool of talent through strong cultural principles and 121 menopause coaching