Every day, hundreds of thousands of people in the UK face mental health challenges that affect their concentration, performance, and overall wellbeing in the workplace. Fortunately, organisations promoting inclusion as part of their wider DEI or DEIB schemes see positive outcomes for these employees. In this guide, we’ll be taking a closer look at the link between inclusion and mental health, and exploring how we can all use inclusion principles to create safer, happier, and successful workplaces.
If you read our recent post on the meaning behind DEIB, you’ll probably have quite a good grasp of what inclusion means. But for those of you who are still unsure, inclusion is about creating environments where all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported, regardless of their background, identity, or circumstances. When paired with belonging, inclusion creates a foundation for psychological safety, ensuring that each person has an opportunity to contribute meaningfully, without feeling marginalised or judged.
In the workplace, inclusion ties into mental health in a number of different ways.
Firstly, inclusion policies often focus on addressing participation and involvement – areas that can be challenging for those struggling with mental health issues. We know that mental health conditions like Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), which affects around 1 in 20 adults annually, can make individuals less likely to engage in social activities due to constant worry and fear. This means we must proactively take steps to prevent these employees from feeling isolated or disengaged, without forcing them into situations that might make symptoms worse.
We also know that a lack of inclusion in the workplace can become the trigger for mental health disorders, particularly in individuals who already feel marginalised. Research from HSE shows that between 2022 and 2023, 17.1 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. And while not all of these absences can be attributed to absent inclusion policies, we do know that employees in environments with low psychological safety report significantly higher levels of stress.
This highlights the importance of creating inclusion policies that not only support those with existing conditions but also help to prevent mental health challenges from developing in the first place.
In the UK, mental health conditions can be considered disabilities under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
The key criteria include:
Substantial impact: A person’s condition must have a significant effect on daily activities, such as working, interacting with others, or managing personal care.
Long-term: The condition must last, or be expected to last, at least 12 months. Even if symptoms come and go, the condition can still qualify if its overall impact is ongoing.
Day-to-day activities: This includes things like concentration, communication, or physical mobility, depending on how the condition manifests.
While this provides a helpful legal framework, it’s important to note that The Equality Act 2010 does not list specific mental health conditions. Each case is assessed individually based on its impact on the person’s life.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, mixed anxiety and depression is Britain’s most common mental health condition. However, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, and panic disorders are also increasingly common.
These conditions can have a huge impact on how employees feel at work. For example, someone experiencing mixed anxiety and depression might struggle to concentrate during meetings or not meet deadlines due to persistent worry and low energy levels. For that employee, the inability to manage seemingly simple tasks may deepen feelings of inadequacy, further exacerbating their symptoms.
Equally, an employee living with PTSD might find that certain environments or workplace situations trigger distressing memories, making it difficult to focus or engage with their team. In some cases, even slight disturbances in a person’s sensory environment can be startling and trigger panic.
This is where inclusion for mental health becomes vital. For many of these individuals, voicing their experiences is daunting; therefore, we need to acknowledge their challenges and create spaces where they feel safe enough to open up. In doing so, we can help them to contribute meaningfully at work, without fear of judgment or exclusion.
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The link between mental and physical health has been widely documented.
In some individuals, mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and muscle pain. While those dealing with chronic physical health issues or disabilities may experience an increase in mental health challenges, such as stress or depression.
It’s important to remember that experiencing both mental and physical health challenges heightens an individual’s support needs. If those needs aren’t met with the right inclusion guidelines, it can significantly impact an employee’s ability to thrive at work.
Creating a truly inclusive environment for employees facing mental health challenges requires them to feel seen, heard, and genuinely supported.
So, how do we make that happen? Here’s what we can do:
Talk about It: Open communication is key. This means leaders being open about their own experiences (where appropriate), and managers checking in with their teams to find out how staff are really feeling. Training managers to spot the signs someone might be struggling and giving them the tools to have those supportive, human conversations is crucial.
Make sure policies themselves are accessible: We absolutely need DEIB policies. And they should cover things like reasonable adjustments, flexible working, assistive technology, and access to support like EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs). But they also need to be implemented. The more accessible we can make them, the more successful they’re likely to be.
Educate everyone: Mental health awareness training shouldn’t be just for managers. Everyone needs to understand different conditions, reduce stigma, and learn how to support their colleagues. It’s also important to cover unconscious biases – we all have them, and they can impact how we treat others.
Make people feel truly safe: This is a big one. People need to know they can talk about their mental health without being judged, gossiped about, or having it used against them. That means building trust, having respectful conversations, and handling any disclosures with real sensitivity and confidentiality. Encouraging feedback and listening to what employees are saying is also vital.
Be flexible: Mental health conditions can affect people’s ability to work standard hours or in a typical office setting. Offering flexibility in the form of remote work, flexible hours, or adapted environments can make a massive difference in helping people to manage their symptoms and maintain a work-life balance.
Think realistically about wellbeing initiatives: Although it’s nice to offer perks, wellbeing initiatives shouldn’t just be about free fruit or gym discounts. We need to be looking at things like mindfulness workshops, access to counselling, or employee resource groups specifically focused on mental wellbeing. These initiatives show a genuine commitment to wellbeing.
Keep checking in: Finally, inclusion isn’t something you achieve and then forget about. It’s an ongoing process. We need to regularly review our policies and practices, get feedback from staff, and keep making things better.
When we put people first and focus on true inclusion, everyone benefits. So, let’s break the stigma and create forward-thinking workplaces where all staff feel supported to do exceptional work.
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