Defining Health, Well-being and mental health
4. Qualitative interpretation / key learnings on national level
Generally agreed STRENGTHS
• Work can be beneficial, and the benefits of work – social, financial and psychological – should be emphasised.
• Generally people are well meaning and the stigma of mental health issues has reduced.
• Legislation in the area of equality and health and safety as well as disability rights has improved matters.
• Increased awareness of mental health issues and normalisation of mental health problems has increased toler-ance and accepttoler-ance of mental health as an important component of health.
• There are many voluntary agencies which are oriented towards support and assistance for people with anxiety, depression or other mental health related conditions.
• There are state payments for illness and disability which means those with diagnosed mental health impairment have financial entitlements.
Generally agreed WEAKNESSES
• There is not any legal defining concept of psychosocial risks at work, mental health injury, stress as injury in National, European and International legislation.
• Not all interactions at work are within the employers’ responsibility / under the employers’ powers.
• Psychosocial hazards (defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO, 1986) as the ‘interactions among job content, work organisation and management, and other environmental and organisational conditions, on the one hand, and the employees’ competencies and needs on the other) refer to those interactions that prove to have a hazardous influence over employees’ health through their perceptions and experience yet perception and experi-ence are outside the aegis of the employer / manager.
• Many of the employers’ management powers are specifically subjected to labour law rules and collective bargain-ing and not to OSH legislation.
• Within the OSH legal framework, work-related stress is commonly accepted by all countries and it is sometimes the only reference in psychosocial risks. Ireland has included a reference to HSA tools for auditing work-related stress (Work Positive) other national guides but Stress, specifically workplace stress – as it is not an “illness” – is not reportable to any authority nationally.
• Management of many mental health matters falls within the familial or personal sphere and it would be outside the scope of the employers’ management powers.
• Non work issues affecting mental health infringing on work are very important and should be included. Although various sources of problem may be outside of work, the remedy / possibly supports may be at work in form of help / assistance and the impact of the stress will of course be at work, where effects can include, as agreed by the group, conflict, fatigue, proneness to short temperedness or highly volatile behaviour as well as behaviour which might lead to accidents.
• Discrimination based on personal identity, race, religion or any one of the nine grounds (and others not specified in equality legislation) is a source of stress which the group agreed, should be highlighted independently of other sources. Identity based bullying / discrimination and harassment are very live issues, it was agreed and important as stressors in a separate category from other less focused or clear-cut behaviours.
• Organisational culture can filter down to all levels, leading to a fear of “bucking the trend” and requesting changes. It is often seen as easier to comply, despite adverse effects on mental health, due to fear of losing job / alienation. This is more so during a recessionary period.
• Job demands was generally agreed as a primary source of workplace mental health problems. This includes the task demands, the complexity and or newness of those demands, and the work – life balance potential or reality for that job.
• Whilst it was agreed that there was limited strength in terms of policies, Occ health systems, health promoting systems and legal frameworks, it was discussed and thereafter agreed that in effect there was not enough legal infrastructure in place to give weight to the framework existing – in each of health and safety, IR and equality.
• There is a fractured approach in Irish society, to issues surrounding mental health. While at community level there are some positives, and the public health system can be appositive experience, there is not enough synthesis , and this often leaves the individual with no real anchor whilst experiencing the mental health problem.
Generally agreed OPPORTUNITIES
• Lack of training for management / employers on how changes in personal circumstances can affect employees was a major theme of the meeting; indeed, specific training to the needs of employees with mental health issues was promoted as something which would be beneficial, so this is an opportunity for employers / managers – as general
“management” of personnel was deemed not to be adequate in terms of knowing how best to navigate the meet-ings, agreements, timings and deadlines involved in keeping people mentally well at work.
• Those at the meeting agreed that example should be taken from the Scottish Mental Health system, early inter-vention and return-to-work best practice, the Canadian system and other initiatives at EU level.
• Critical incidents, as a source of stress should be facilitated into bespoke risk assessment control measures, target-ing specific work / industry types – i.e. emergency personnel etc.
• Some system of having free mental aid should be considered for the short term control or rehabilitation of those with mental health problems. It was highlighted that there is no one devoted rehabilitation system for people who are short term out of work due to mental health issues.
• Some good practice in the public and private sector should be highlighted and shared.
Generally agreed THREATS
• As societies become increasingly violent, so do workplaces and so violence is an increasing risk at work.
• Working time alterations and increased hours / shift work patterns can be a threat to mental health.
• Conflict and combative relationships are associated with increased pressure in times of recession and this can have a negative effect on mental health at work.
• Re-structuring, job insecurity and decreased and insecure salary expectations, all associated with recession, are threats to mental health and well being.
APPENDIX 1
List of Ireland’s Participant Organisations Bausch and Lomb
http://www.bausch.com/
An Garda Síochána
http://www.garda.ie/
Irish Business and Employer’s Confederation (IBEC) http://www.ibec.ie/
Irish Congress of trade Unions (ICTU) http://www.ictu.ie/
Irish Defence Forces http://www.military.ie/
ESB
http://www.esb.ie/
National Disability Authority http://www.nda.ie/
Afresh
http://www.afresh.ie/
WRC Research
http://www.wrc-research.ie/
Shine Online
http://www.shineonline.ie/
AHR Services http://www.ahr.ie/
Mental Health Commission http://www.mhcirl.ie/
Equality Authority http://www.equality.ie/
Advokat
http://www.advokat.ie/
Legal Aid Board
http://www.legalaidboard.ie/
Economic and Social Research Institute http://www.esri.ie/
Local Government Management Agency http://www.lgcsb.ie/
Labour Relations Commission http://www.lrc.ie/
National Learning Network http://www.nln.ie/
Dept. of Social Protection http://www.welfare.ie/
Rehabilitation and Employment Consultants Dept. of Defence
http://www.defence.ie/
Irish Rail
http://www.irishrail.ie/
University of Limerick http://www.ul.ie/
MALTA
Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-being:
Mental Health at the Workplace
PROMOTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AT THE WORKPLACE
prepared by
• Ray Xerri