"Employers "have a duty" to support staff who suffer domestic abuse but few have adequate policies in place, the government says.
It said bosses were in a unique position to help but a "lack of awareness and stigma" held them back.
Calls to domestic abuse services have surged in the pandemic as couples spend more time at home.
Business Minister Paul Scully said employers could be a "bridge between a worker and the support they need"."
“Mano said the idea for the nonprofit came after one of his friends committed suicide in 2019. As a way to grieve, he and others brought people from the tech community together to discuss mental health. As the conversations continued, Mano and his friends recognized that having a community of allies is essential in life.”
“Attitudes towards migrant workers were not generally positive even before the pandemic and have now only worsened. In ASEAN, there have been reports of increased verbal abuse against certain nationalities and migrants presumed to bring the virus to communities. Such stigmatization and discrimination are not only unacceptable but dangerous, and it can put in particular women migrant workers, their children and families at risk of both gender-based and xenophobic violence, harassment and trafficking.”
“According to Mental Health America, the food and beverage industry is among the top three “unhealthiest” workplace industries, as judged according to workplace environment, stress and employee engagement.”
Recognizing this growing need amidst the ongoing Coronavirus epidemic many restaurant chains are adding mental health benefits for their employees
"As we navigate various transitions over the coming months and years, leaders are likely to see employees struggle with anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, and PTSD. Those mental health experiences will differ according to race, economic opportunity, citizenship status, job type, parenting and caregiving responsibilities, and many other variables."
While we expect a continued increase in employees accessing mental health services, this guide serves to provide information to upper management on how to support their staff and reduce stigma in the workplace.
"Black and brown workers are overrepresented on the front lines as “essential” workers in low-status, low-wage service occupations in the U.S. Their greater exposure increases vulnerability of contracting and dying from the disease. This dynamic showcases the longstanding reality of occupational segmentation, as certain demographic segments have the privilege of “sheltering” in protected environments (i.e., working from home), while others remain exposed in more dangerous and lower paying roles."
Employees of color face additional race related stigma when it comes to labor rights and protections. Find out more about how this has worsened in the age of COVID-19.
"Employees are less and less likely to hide it at their jobs. A 2019 poll by the American Psychiatric Association found 62% of people ages 20 to 37 feel comfortable discussing their mental health at work, compared with about half as many people ages 54 to 72. And when they don’t feel supported by their jobs, many leave."
Millennial employees are talking more about behavioral health at work and advocating with their labor by choosing to prioritize a workplace that is supportive of that. Check out the full article to read more about the ways in which younger adults are challenging stigma and employment.
"Business can have a particularly strong role to play in preventing and combating stigma at this time. Company management and human resources departments need to understand the dangers of exclusion and stigmatisation, and double-check that their policies have no potentially negative impacts."
This article provides an in-depth understanding of what the role is of businesses in combating stigma and a plan on how to make it happen.
"Employees have seen a 64% increase in feelings of depression and a 47% increase in anxiety levels since February, according to a May mental health index ... The index also found that productivity and work performance have suffered since the start of the pandemic."
Despite the increase in mental distress across the nation, many employees still feel pressured to hide their mental health needs at work. This article addresses this ongoing trend and what can be done to improve conditions for all.
"Public health officials fear the pandemic could spark a wave of new addictions due to increased drug and alcohol use linked to historic unemployment, as well as isolation fostered by state shutdowns and stay-at-home orders."
Check out this guide on how companies can fight stigma in the workforce during this ongoing pandemic!
