Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 29
Other Initiatives Workplaces Can Offer To Support Men
On-site support: The trust built through regular support
from the same individual or small team provides the
opportunity to notice change in team members over time
and allows opportunistic help-seeking that would not
happen if it required some people to pick up the phone and
ask for help. Being a trusted face around the workplace
really matters and can make a life-changing difference.
Manager training: Line managers should be trained in
looking out for the symptoms of poor mental health.
Perhaps an extrovert becomes quiet and withdrawn in
team meetings, or a highly productive person suddenly falls
behind their peers. Whatever the case, spotting the signs
of poor mental health can make a massive difference to
someone who is suffering. Line managers can be trained
to have dif昀椀cult conversations about mental health.
Create safe spaces: From peer group discussions to ‘buddy
programs9, create a safe space for employees to talk about
their mental health so they don’t feel alone in their experiences.
Ensure these are well-advertised and easy to access.
Have an open approach: Having a CEO, leadership team,
or manager be open about their mental health issues will
help teams feel like they can be open too. Modelling
openness and discussing challenges can normalise
vulnerability in male-dominated workplaces.
