World Mental Health Day was created with the aim of raising awareness across the world about critical mental health agendas. As World Mental Health Day 2024 approaches, we were pleased to hear that this year’s theme is:
“It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”
Recent statistics reveal that 20% of UK employees took leave due to stress last year¹ with one in six British workers facing mental health challenges². In the US more than 80% of workers have reported experiencing workplace stress, and over 50% believe their work-related stress also impacts their life at home³. This highlights the urgent need for effective interventions that boost psychological resilience. Increasing levels of work absence and the subsequent associated costs to individuals, employers and society is a huge issue that should be addressed urgently.
In this blog we discuss how acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been adapted to workplace settings to help reverse the trend.
Tackling workplace burnout
Burnout is more than just feeling tired; it’s a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. It can lead to disengagement, decreased productivity, and a negative impact on overall well-being. With the rise of remote work and the blurring of work-life boundaries, addressing burnout has never been more critical.
A report from Mental Health UK¹ demonstrated that some of the best things to alleviate stress and prevent burnout at work included a healthy work-life balance (56%), with four in ten suggesting a supportive line manager (43%) or supportive colleagues and peers (42%) made a big difference. Other elements such as reasonable adjustments at work (38%), professional support for mental health such as Employee Assistance Programmes or coaching (29%) and organisations offering staff training around mental health at work (24%) all played a large part too. These findings clearly demonstrate that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach and organisations need to be able to tailor their offerings based on individual needs.
The power of ACT in the workplace
ACT offers a unique approach to mental health as it equips people with the skills to navigate life’s challenges, both personally and professionally. As an evidence-based model, ACT focuses on helping individuals accept thoughts and feelings rather than fighting against them. Through psychological flexibility, ACT can empower employees to commit to actions aligned with their core values, reducing stress and enhancing resilience. In a workplace context ACT techniques have been proven to significantly decrease feelings of burnout among employees and build adaptability which is crucial in a thriving work environment. Alongside this, participants learn to manage stress, worry, and rumination more effectively, leading to improved mental health generally. The skills learned through ACT are applicable beyond the workplace, enhancing overall life satisfaction. Rather than a ‘tick box’ HR exercise, this intervention is proven to work, and the toolkit acquired can be used time and time again in both a business and personal capacity.
So how can ACT be introduced into the workplace?
The ACT in the workplace program has been devised in such a way that it can be tailored to meet the specific challenges faced by different types of organisations. This makes it a versatile and effective tool for anyone who wants to deliver workplace interventions that improve employees’ psychological well-being and enhance adaptability. The brilliance of this course is that it ‘trains the trainer’, making anyone able to understand and implement the techniques that are going to make a difference in your setting. No therapy experience is required, instead it has been devised for HR professionals and workplace well-being managers, (and psychologists of course!) to be able to deliver impactful ACT programs to employees.
The sessions we run in our on-demand course cover the theoretical foundations and core components of ACT, latest research developments surrounding ACT in workplace settings and practical skills for facilitating group sessions effectively. By participating in this workshop, you’ll not only enhance your professional skills but also contribute to creating a healthier workplace culture. A training manual is provided to equip you with the necessary tools to implement sustainable well-being programs tailored to the business’s unique needs. To read more about this innovative and proven well-being intervention, simple visit our ACT in the workplace workshop page and start learning today! By embracing ACT and its proven strategies for combating burnout, any workplace can build an environment where employees thrive.
References
²https://www.city.ac.uk/research/impact/case-studies/improving-mental-health-in-the-workplace
³https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress/understanding-the-problem