If you are considering taking a Workplace Mental Health audit you will probably have a number of questions to ask about the process.
Your first point of call is to call 01204 537 897 and speak to Chris Gold, Business Development Manager about the suitability of an audit for your business.
This short guide has been produced to give you a basic understanding of what to expect and what you will receive at the end of the audit.
Just like a Health and Safety audit, the process looks at a variety of risk factors within the organisation that could have a negative impact on the mental wellbeing of your staff.
Wellbeing is an area that many employers have recognised as being an essential and integral part of working life and can have a great impact on the growth and sustainability of your business.
Health and safety mainly deals with physical risk and probability of injury resulting in physical injury. The mental health audit explores other areas that are likely to have an impact on our emotional and mental health that is likely to affect the ability of an employee to carry out their role effectively or to increase the likelihood of sickness.
The Workplace Mental Health Audit is:
An analytical tool that explores a range of risks associated with poor mental health.
A tool that can identify risk areas to your staff and your business.
A tool that can identify training and development activities that will help you to prioritise where your investment will be most effective
Completely anonymous and confidential
Purely bespoke to your business
The Workplace Mental Health Audit is not:
A way to capture personal evidence of an employees mental health on behalf of an employer.
A criticism of an employer, the management or an individual.
The audit process
Step 1 – Survey and policy review.
The number of employees involved in the survey depends on the size of your organisation.
0-500 ALL employees
500 – 1000 75 – 100% of employees
1000 – 2000 50 – 75% of employees
+2000 TBA
The survey can be distributed via:
Email/intranet etc
Phone or tablet
*Printout
*Electronic methods are preferred as these can be collected anonymously at WMH without any connection with the employer and have a higher success rate.
WMH can provide you with a template letter to distribute to all employees. WMH will monitor the drop-out rate and work with you to get maximum returns to ensure that the results are as accurate as possible.
(As with all surveys there will be a percentage drop-out of employees that do not participate, this is perfectly normal. If there is concern over the level of drop-out WMH will support the employer to reach the required levels for their organisation size).
Normally the employees will be given approximately 2 weeks to return the survey, reminders can be sent during the 2 weeks to get maximum results
The survey has been designed to assess risks that may affect the workplace including:
Environment
Demands
Control
Role
Change
Relationships
Personal perceptions
Communication
Work-life balance
Job security
Support
Engagement
Internal and external factors
The survey consists of approximately 60 questions which can be completed in around 15 minutes.
Policy review
1 in 10 employers does not have a Mental Health policy in place.
Policies and procedures are the best way for organisations to create a unified approach to the workplace.
WMH will ask for a copy of your Mental Health policy (if you have one). We may request to look at your policies and processes in relation to:
Absence
Sickness
Return to work
Flexible working
Disability
Absence monitoring
other
(WMH use files as a reference point only and any recommended changes must be made with your employment law representative).
Step 2 – Interviews
Step 2 of the audit process is to arrange interviews with a cross-section of employees.
The interview process will be conducted by a qualified practitioner with extensive interviewing experience. Interviews are informal and answers will be recorded anonymously and in complete confidence.
The time that this takes will depend on the following:
Size of business
Geographical spread / location
Work patterns
Availability
WMH will discuss this with you and agree on how the interviews will be conducted allowing you complete control and minimal disruption for employees.
Interviews will be informal and should take approximately 30 minutes per employee.
