The manager of UK creative agency Uniform Group has a point of contact to help staff with mental health issues. Instead of consulting the team itself, you can refer your employees to free therapy sessions that are a perk of your company.
“We see people struggling, and there are many reasons for that,” says Chief Executive Officer Nick Howe. “Coupled with cost of living concerns and stressful times at work, there can be a lot going on outside of work. [But] We cannot be their therapists. “
Uniform is one of many organizations that offer in-house therapy for their employees. Providing tools for managers of the post-pandemic workforce as the public health system expands.
The Bank of England has provided psychological support to staff since the 1970s. Today, his employers include big law firms Hogan Lovells and Linklaters, U.S. banks JP Morgan his Chase and Goldman Sachs, and he’s one, and psychologists and counselors are available online and onsite. available. This benefit can let staff know that managers are supportive and help their teams get the most out of them.
Howe said the company policy not only helped him personally during a difficult time with the pressures of his own job and health, but “it was also an opportunity for managers to guide the way.” [employees] to a therapist.”
Uniform Group CEO Nick Howe says both he and his staff have benefited from the in-house offering © Jon Super/FT
Nearly 30% of U.S. employers offer or plan to offer onsite counseling or therapy in 2022, up from 25% at the start of the pandemic, according to the latest data . Health Survey Business Subcommittee We partner with Fidelity Workplace Consulting. According to the report, 54% of large companies worldwide offer online or onsite counseling. Traditional employee assistance programs set up to provide advice on personal matters such as benefits and finances are dealing with increasingly complex issues, says Chris Ambler of the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy. said. “Sometimes a more nuanced response is required.”
Tools for administrators
JP Morgan has a team of mental health counselors working at larger locations that cover crisis management and short-term counseling. Judith, executive director of employee assistance programs and licensed mental health clinician at the bank Since the pandemic began, Beth said, counselors have helped employees deal with grief and loss, anxiety and depression, which are often caused by changes in communities and workplaces. “Having a therapist in the office makes it easier for employees to access care and [and] Get up close to common workplace issues and stressors faced by your employees. “
This can reduce the pressure on team leaders. “Managers may be overloading themselves. Knowing that there is a safe and sensitive space that a member of staff can gently encourage to explore does not have the skills. Less personal guilt for not being able to “fix” a problem Francesca Rogers, co-founder of GetZeN, which provides therapists to businesses, said:
Philippa Richardson, founder of The Circle Line, which provides corporate clients with a small team of remote therapists, agrees. If you’re going to be meticulous, it might be helpful to say, “In the performance review, these are things I want you to work on, and here’s a feature to help you work on it.”
Lindsay Lavelac of Sidley Law Firm says remote work makes it harder to spot mental health issues in workers © Anna Gordon/FT
A trained psychotherapist can help managers identify problems that arise in the workforce. According to Lindsay Lavelac, a Citi partner who specializes in his M&A at Sidley Law Firm, which has been providing his therapy onsite since 2020, in his work hybrid or remote, workers’ mental health problems can be difficult to find. Gaining broader insight from aggregated sessions—rather than specific details that compromise confidentiality—can highlight issues.
understand the business
The in-house offering also gives therapists insight into the organization that outsiders may lack. Be part of a team that offers a variety of treatments, including: “We are completely immersed in the culture and environment that our clients speak to,” she says.
Linklaters Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Ogilvie said: “It helps me understand the company better.”
Adam Carvalho, a former legal partner and now co-director of The Carvalho Consultancy, which provides therapeutic support to law firms, agrees. [the] The pressure to run teams, generate jobs, see spouses and children, and maintain other aspects of life.
“There are a lot of sensitivities in managers dealing with the new generation of lawyers . [that] With someone who is removed from the situation but understands how it works.
confidentiality issues
Providers of on-site counseling say it helps destigmatize mental health when more senior business leaders open up about their experiences. In 2021, Tom Blomfield stepped down as chief executive of UK digital bank Monzo, citing mental health issues caused by the pressures of the pandemic. Former Virgin Bank CEO Jayne Ann Ghadia has spoken out about her depression.
“Society is much more open and open about mental health,” says Ogilvie of Linklaters, who introduced an on-site psychologist four years ago. “a young generation [expect such benefits] As usual. “
But not everyone agrees that work is the right place for therapy. Advertising firm Havas offers personal development sessions with trained psychotherapists who are also coaches. Havas UK Group Chief People Officer Ewen MacPherson said: There is a problem of confidentiality,” he said. Some staff members also found it “difficult to explore deep issues.” [put] Brave things and get back to work. “
There may also be risks of conflicts of interest. His Richardson of The Circle Line said: “It’s best if the therapist doesn’t meet someone who knows each other,” she adds. I’m here.
GetZeN’s Rogers adds that providing mental health treatment should be tied to “employees actively seeking support.” .
financial challenges
Some employers do not consider it their responsibility to manage their employees’ mental health. And even those that do may find it more difficult to serve in the current financial environment. Cate Murden, founder of Push, which provides wellbeing services to businesses, says many employers are putting mental health spending on the “backburner” at a time when there is “very high concern about redundancies.” It is said that it is.
Richardson says it’s hard to win new business even as existing clients spend more.
Michael Boroff, a psychologist and mental health program manager at Crossover Health, which has health care centers on the Meta and Comcast campuses, argues that it’s more cost-effective for companies to intervene early than wait for a crisis. The system is not working well.can reduce [companies’ health insurance] pay. ”
According to the City Mental Health Alliance, a non-profit organization that works with large businesses in London, members with on-site counselors have seen a significant reduction in private health insurance claims for psychological support, demonstrating a return on investment. I’m here.
For Howe of Uniform Group, therapy was a worthwhile investment. “We never thought of cutting. If they’re not in the right headspace, they can’t do it and the business model is broken.”
