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“Tis the Season to be Jolly…but what if it isn’t?”

joanna3401

Updated: Feb 15, 2024




Christmas and the lead up to it can be a time of great joy for many people, but it can also be stressful, pressure- inducing and overwhelming for others. With anxiety in the UK at record levels, organisation leaders are turning their attention to action that can be taken to support people. Currently, over 40% of people in the UK say that they are experiencing medium or high levels of anxiety. 37% of women report feeling high levels of anxiety and almost 30% of men report the same thing. Those aged 16- 29 are the most likely to have some form of anxiety. *


At OMHAS, we recommend that wherever possible, organisations try to identify what exactly is going on in terms of their workforce’s mental health. If you identify the problems people are experiencing and the factors which are affecting mental health, you can provide information and support which specifically addresses those problems. Offering fruit and lunchtime Pilates are lovely initiatives, but they might not help to improve wellbeing if people are experiencing debt problems or addictions. Just to be clear, please keep the fruit and Pilates if you offer them! Initiatives like these send very positive messages to your people that your organisation supports people in maintaining good health. However, please also provide information and details of support which is available for other challenges your people may be experiencing.


As there are less than 2 weeks until Christmas, if your organisation has not yet conducted an evaluation of the mental health of your workforce, don’t panic. Do, however, put it on the organisation’s New Year resolutions list. (Contact help@OMHAS.co.uk and we can guide you through the evaluation process).  One thing is clear, however, based on the current statistics on anxiety, it is likely that your organisation will have a significant number of people suffering from this debilitating condition. There are many ways in which your organisation may offer help during the festive period and beyond.


What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a fear, usually associated with the fear that something will go wrong in the future. It can also arise from something happening right now.


How can organisations support people?


Information and Education – Organisations that provide information about anxiety and overwhelm, including how to spot the signs in yourself or others, are off to a great start in terms of providing valuable support. Mental Health practitioners all agree that if you can spot signs and address/manage them before things get too difficult, then the prospects of a return to good/optimal health are high. There is also encouraging news for people who have suffered from anxiety for a long time: a large body of neuroscientific research supports the view that it is possible for the brain to be retrained to move away from the negative, unhelpful thought patterns which can cause anxiety and also to resolve underlying trauma. (See, for instance, publications by Dr Russell Kennedy, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Bruce Perry). Self- help can be highly effective, so organisations should provide information about self-help and ideally, encourage and support it.


At the same time as providing information about spotting signs of poor mental health, organisations must provide people with information about staying healthy. Exercise, sleep, the right nutrition, social connection, spending time outdoors in nature and in daylight are some of the key factors which positively influence good mental, as well as physical health.  Finding ways to demonstrate that the organisation supports people in maintaining good health, is also key. Maintaining good mental health can sometimes take effort. Small positive daily changes will all contribute to building good mental health, which help us to build resilience, respond better to challenges, avoid illness and to recover from difficult experiences. Life, especially one involving the ability to manage your anxiety, is a marathon and not a sprint. You wouldn’t attempt to run a marathon without undergoing some dedicated training.


Support Organisations – make sure that your organisation is signposting people to organisations that can provide support if they are struggling. Your organisation may have some of its own, bespoke, mental health support services, but if you don’t, there are a wide range of free services and resources which can offer great help to people who need it.


Working practices – does your organisation know which work-related factors may be impacting mental health negatively? If you don’t OMHAS can help. Meantime, remind people to take breaks and to rest where possible in order to recharge for the New Year. Also, encourage kindness, collaboration and co-operation.


Christmas Activities and Celebrations – the annual Christmas party can be great fun for many people, but try to consider other ways to bring people together to celebrate the festive season which doesn’t involve late nights and drinking alcohol. Remember too that not everyone feels comfortable attending these events. 


New Year Resolutions  - support your people to set their own wellbeing goals for the year ahead. These should be encouraged, tracked and facilitated by managers in the same way as key performance objectives. Small, consistent, positive habits can lead to great things!


Wishing everyone a happy Christmas and a healthy and happy start to 2024.


*The Mental Health Foundation 


Jennifer Nicol

Director, OMHAS Ltd


Helping organisations to help people thrive at work

For more information contact one of our Directors:

e / mental health issues in the workplace positively.

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