The 10th December marks World Human Rights Day. Today in particular, we are reminded of everyone's human right to mental health and the fact that everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a deserving and inherent right to the highest standard of mental health. Everyone should have access to good quality, available, accessible and acceptable care for their mental health as well as a right to liberty, independence and inclusion within their community (WHO, 2023).

The aim of this years' World Human Rights Day campaign is to inspire everyone to acknowledge the importance and relevance of human rights, change perceptions by countering negative stereotypes and misconceptions and mobilize action to reinvigorate a global movement for human rights.

It is vitally important to consider the impacts of the workplace on mental health and how work can support good mental health. By taking time today to reflect on the following questions and planning your next small steps to improve, employers and organisations can take a step towards the aim of World Human Rights Day and improving the working lives of their employees.

When thinking about access to care:

• Do you have a wellbeing policy or strategy and if so, do your people know where this is?

• Is the policy written in a clear way and with a focus on accessibility?

• Do you provide access to support and resources such as training, EAP providers or wellbeing champions? Do your employees know how to access these resources and is access simple?

• Are your resources accessible to all your people (for instance those working part time, remote or on shifts)?

• Have you consulted with employees to ensure that you are providing appropriate access to care?

When thinking about the inclusion within the workplace community:

• Have you embedded conversations about wellbeing in your day-to-day communication in your organisation?

• Is there an openness to discussing mental health? Do people feel safe to share their mental health experiences and wellbeing without fear of repercussions?

• How do you ensure that all employees (for instance those with less voice or from marginalised groups) are able to speak up and be heard?

• How have you sought to challenge any stigma around mental health?

• Do leaders lead by example in supporting colleagues?

Our mission at Affinity Health at Work is to help create better working lives for all. This includes helping organisations understand how they can develop their practices to benefit their employees and themselves. The considerations needed to meet the right to mental health are included within our Maturity Assessment available at Affinity Health at Work. This assessment uses an evidence-based framework to help gain a 'total picture' of work wellbeing across a number of key areas as well as offering clear next steps to develop current offerings. If you would like to learn more about our Maturity assessment, please visit our website here or email us at hello@affinityhealthatwork.com, we'd love to hear from you.

Reference:

WHO (2023, October 6). Mental health: Promoting and protecting human rights. Retrieved December 2nd, 2024, from https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/mental-health-promoting-and-protecting-human-rights