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How to support graduates with their mental health

Our research shows that 62% of Gen Z have taken a mental health sick day, but only 24% were honest with their employer.

In this guide, we cover our findings on mental health, a report by Student Minds and insight from the Institute of Student Employers.

We also share a number of actionable tips for addressing mental health and supporting young workers, as they transition from university to the workplace.

Mental health issues are prevalent in society, yet they are still not commonly discussed in the workplace, despite the fact that many people take mental health sick days. There has been a rise in mental health issues among students over the past decade and these issues do not end once the student enters the workplace.

Starting a first job can also create mental health and wellbeing issues among graduates, who face a range of stressors at this time. The good news is that there are actions that companies can take to improve their attractiveness to graduates through taking mental health and wellbeing seriously.

Mental health sick days

Mental health sick days are relatively common, though this is an issue that is rarely discussed. We ran a survey to understand this further, gaining insight from 2,000 respondents. Despite the fact that so many people suffer from mental health problems, 69% are not diagnosed, and 49% will not take a mental sick day from work.

Our research showed that while 62% of Gen Z have taken a mental health sick day, only 24% were honest about that with their employer. Overall, only 14% of UK workers felt being honest about this was possible. 3 in 4 of Gen Z respondents were worried about being called a “Snowflake” if they took a mental health sick day. In fact, 43% would not take the day off for this very reason.

The younger an employee is, the more likely they are to admit experiencing mental health issues. While 58% of Millennials state they suffer from mental health issues, this rose to 72% of Generation Z participants. Two-thirds of participants in these generational groups reported that work stress as a factor in their mental health issues.

The vast majority of respondents felt that changes are needed in the workplace to make it more comfortable to take a mental health sick day. Among Gen Z, 92% of respondents felt this, while 85% of Millennials responded in this way.

Tips for Employers

  • Develop a culture that is accepting of mental health issues, avoiding terms like “Snowflake” which can seem discriminatory
  • Identify factors that cause work stress and pinpoint ways in which these can be reduced, to lower the number of mental health sick days

Graduate mental wellbeing at work

Student Minds (the UK Student Mental Health Charity) has undertaken research into the mental health of students and graduates in the workplace. It is difficult to be precise about the mental health of students since figures of this group are usually not distinguished from other young people within the national data. However, what is known is that 75% of mental health issues arise before a person reaches the age of 24.

Additionally, the number of students who disclose a pre-existing mental health condition to their university has increased dramatically over the past 10 years. There has also been a significant increase in demand for counselling services at universities. Young women are particularly affected, with an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety among this group.

Students are more likely to apply to companies with a positive approach to mental health. Recent Student Minds research has found that universities could do more to prepare students to transition from university into work. They found that achieving the right transition into the working environment reduces stress in the future and has a positive impact on the mental wellbeing that follows. Those that get onto graduate schemes generally have a better experience.

Factors exacerbating mental health issues include working overtime, facing pressure from colleagues or managers, feeling a lack of confidence about the work, and hearing conversations that are uncomfortable.

Tips for Employers

  • Help graduates transition between university and work this theme into your graduate induction training to aid the process
  • Implement a buddy system even before new graduates have started so they can talk through issues or concerns and transition easier
  • Develop FAQs to help graduates cope with the change – one way to create these might be through surveying previous graduate intakes to gain their input

Addressing mental health and wellbeing at work

Some factors are more likely to promote better mental wellbeing and lower levels of stress among graduates, highlighted in the Student Minds Graduate Wellbeing Report. Here are the factors that are noted as being particularly influential:

  • Organisations who are proactive about promoting wellbeing fare better
  • Having someone that a graduate is confident contacting if their wellbeing is suffering
  • Having a manager interested in their personal development
  • Being able to take a lunch break or other breaks
  • Finding the work they are doing interesting
  • Being included in work-related social activities is also key
  • Financial pressures are an important stressor impacting on mental health and wellbeing – support with relocation was noted as helpful

Companies are at least to some extent taking mental health matters seriously. The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) found in their Student Development Survey 2020, that the vast majority of firms (97%) provide mental health support and three quarters (78%) have a mental wellbeing policy. 43% of companies also state that they address mental wellbeing in recruitment.

Ideally, all graduates would have the confidence to discuss mental health issues or stress to their manager, but the Student Minds report reveals that only just over half (51%) say that this is the case. That figure falls to 47% among those who have experience of mental health difficulties.

Tips for Employers

  • Lead by example – if senior managers show that they care about mental health issues, this behaviour will cascade through the organisation. This top-down approach encourages longevity in this behaviour to the point that it becomes a normal part of company culture
  • Offer benefits that help reduce pressures faced for graduates, such as financial support with relocation
  • Organise work-related social activities which can be useful for reducing stress at work through letting off steam with colleagues
  • Make sure graduates have a point of contact for if their wellbeing is suffering
  • Train managers so they understand the importance of showing a regular interest in graduate personal development

Leadership supporting mental health at work

Work culture can be shaped such that graduate confidence in disclosing mental health issues can be built. A key element within this is ensuring that managers have the training to identify stress or mental health issues and to work with employees to support them. Knowing the right support to point employees would be a helpful aspect of this.

The ISE also highlight how employers can start out on the right foot by being clear about their company culture during the hiring process. This requires greater authenticity during recruitment. At this time, providing information about mental health or wellbeing support may also be beneficial, particularly since 76% of young job seekers reported not having that information from potential employers. Recognising the challenges that graduates may face in first jobs, such as regular travel and working towards qualifications is also beneficial, as is providing support in these areas.

The CMHA provides helpful guidance that can serve as a template for good practice on mental health in the workplace. One of the core components of this is visible leadership in this area. Leadership has the power to ensure that mental health is part of the agenda in the working environment. This includes developing a ‘mental health at work’ plan and providing access to those that need support. Leaders can walk the talk by including mental health and wellbeing on the agenda of board meetings and setting the expectation that managers discuss wellbeing. This can be factored into performance review systems. The CMHA also advocates for mental health training at work.

Other activities that may be helpful include putting in place mental health champions and using case studies to illustrate support mechanisms and strategies available. Making these easily accessible to employees is important. Generally improving the level of conversation about the topic is beneficial in making it less taboo. Mental health and wellbeing should also be included in employee inductions.

Leaders encouraging healthy living at work can benefit wellbeing, by promoting the benefits of exercise and a good diet. Resilience and wellbeing programmes that focus on areas such as mindfulness, time management and stress management can be deployed to increase awareness.

Tips for Employers

  • Make sure you are accurately promoting your company culture – review the hiring process and any communications you have currently to ensure this is reflective and realistic
  • Provide training for managers to help them support healthy living, stress management and improved wellbeing
  • Ensure there is are advocates for mental wellbeing at senior levels of the organisation
  • Create a ‘mental health at work’ plan to ensure that everyone knows how and where to access support
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