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Improving access to support for staff

Tools to help your organisation understand and remove barriers to support.

Wellbeing

Tools for people who are responsible for:

  • designing or providing support for staff
  • supporting staff to access support

Understanding why staff do not access support

Before you develop a plan to improve staff access to support, it’s important to understand the barriers to support which may exist in your organisation.

A comprehensive survey of NHS staff revealed potential barriers that leaders should consider when planning interventions. This list will help guide your self-assessment.

The barriers identified include:

  • lack of time, as employees may feel they do not have the time to access support 
  • lack of awareness regarding the support available and where and when it can be accessed 
  • concerns that accessing support may be disclosed to managers with negative consequences 
  • feeling too tired to consider the support they need
  • a reluctance to admit the need for help and problems with IT may prevent staff accessing support online

Being proactive in providing accessible support for staff

Staff may be overwhelmed by options for support, causing uncertainty about what might be suitable. There could be difficulty finding out what is available as information on support options may be provided in different places.

Some individuals may feel they do not need support from their workplace, as they can access this from family or friends.

These barriers can be tackled through initiatives such as:

  • ring-fencing time for supporting wellbeing both proactively and reactively 
  • destigmatisation campaigns which promote open conversations about mental health
  • providing anonymous support channels and ensuring confidentiality in all support services 
  • offering comprehensive mental health training for managers and employees 
  • ensuring that support is evidence-informed and relevant to the needs of employees 
  • providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ highlighting available support and where it can be found 

The benefits of flexible work arrangements

Implementing flexible work arrangements will:

  • encourage a supportive atmosphere 
  • help create a psychologically safe organisational culture 
  • allow individuals to receive help when needed 

Some barriers may be specific to your organisation, so involving employees from diverse backgrounds will help identify any obstacles to support and how they might be addressed.

How leaders can reduce mental health stigma

People working in social care are at greater risk of work-related stress, anxiety and depression and burnout than many other professions. Recent studies indicate, however, that only about half of employees feel comfortable discussing mental health issues at work.

Establishing a psychologically safe environment where individuals feel safe speaking out is a crucial first step in reducing stigma.

Stigma surrounding mental health can come from external sources or an individual’s own views, leading to ‘self-stigma’. This self-blame or denial can make practitioners reluctant to disclose their experiences of work-related stress and burnout.

Addressing stigma is vital because it is a significant barrier to seeking help, delaying assistance, and increasing feelings of isolation.

Leaders can help reduce mental health stigma by sharing their own experiences by openly discussing personal encounters with mental health challenges. This demonstrates that seeking support is a sign of strength and encourages a culture of empathy and understanding.

Using the mental health core standards

MIND produced a comprehensive set of mental health core standards and a practical framework to aid employers in reducing the stigma surrounding mental health in workplaces. These standards help organisations to support employees facing mental health challenges.

This can help people remain in work, where possible, and thrive in professional environments.

By breaking down barriers and showing vulnerability, leaders create a safe environment. A safe environment allows employees to feel comfortable addressing their mental health concerns without fear of judgment.

This approach:

  • normalises discussions about mental health 
  • promotes open communication 
  • builds a supportive and inclusive work culture 

Developing an inclusive wellbeing policy

Leaders should ensure they have a policy that explains their organisation’s commitment to the wellbeing of employees. This policy should be transparent and developed collaboratively with workers, management, and trade unions.

Employer Standard 4: Wellbeing supports a robust approach to employee wellbeing. Research evidence (see References) supports an approach which addresses wellbeing on three levels: 

Reducing stress at source

You could help to reduce stress by identifying the sources of the stress. This involves assessing risks, identifying, implementing, and evaluating interventions.

You should deliver high-quality, targeted management training, and introduce initiatives such as mental health first aid and wellness action plans. Health promotion is also a crucial component of primary management.

Supporting staff to develop skills to manage stress effectively

Enhancing employees’ responses to stress involves helping practitioners to develop skills to navigate a high-pressure working environment. This will help to protect their wellbeing. You can achieve this by providing high-quality tools and resources, such as reflective supervision. 

Addressing the symptoms of stress

Managing the symptoms and effects of stress on wellbeing (tertiary management) includes initiatives like occupational health support. It also includes facilitating their return to work after stress-related absence and negotiating flexible adjustments to accommodate practitioners’ needs. 

To ensure an effective wellbeing policy, you should develop a clear action plan detailing implemented (or planned) interventions and evaluation mechanisms. 

Creating a wellbeing intervention programme

The following stages are designed to guide the development and evaluation of a comprehensive programme of wellbeing interventions within your organisation.

This framework will help you:

  • understand the needs of the workforce 
  • identify the desired wellbeing outcomes 
  • develop appropriate interventions 
  • assess whether interventions are making a difference 

Maintaining a workplace culture that supports the psychological safety of practitioners is an ongoing process. This process should also include mechanisms for addressing new threats to wellbeing and considering future initiatives.

Stage 1: analyse

This stage lays the foundations for subsequent phases. It involves forming a leadership group to steer the process, understand workforce needs, and define important outcomes and goals for the wellbeing interventions.

Important actions include:

  • securing commitment from leaders and employees 
  • allocating resources and providing support to ensure employee involvement at each stage 
  • forming a steering group comprising representatives from diverse backgrounds who bring a range of complementary skills and knowledge 
  • assessing workforce needs and evaluating the current interventions offered by the organisation
  • establishing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals related to risk management and identifying desired outcomes 

Stage 2: plan 

This stage identifies various critical issues to address and involving employees in this process is crucial. Important actions include:

  • prioritising goals and desired outcomes 
  • considering employees’ diverse needs, while also considering organisational structures and available resources 
  • developing the evaluation strategy for this and future phases 
  • delegating specific tasks within the steering group 
  • identifying role models and wellbeing champions at all levels within the organisation 
  • formulating an ongoing communication strategy to establish and maintain employee engagement 
  • considering the implementation of interventions, whether through ‘in-house’ personnel or external providers 

Stage 3: implement

This stage involves identifying roles for implementing the wellbeing interventions and exploring opportunities for piloting and evaluation. The important action is to ensure clear organisational roles by assigning individual responsibilities within the steering group. You should pilot the intervention, if possible, and monitor progress.

Stage 4: evaluate

The evaluation stage is crucial for measuring the effectiveness of workplace wellbeing interventions. Gathering baseline data for comparisons before and after the intervention is essential. Important actions include:

  • deciding what the evaluation should measure, such as awareness of the intervention, accessibility and wellbeing outcomes 
  • gathering information on workplace wellbeing before the intervention begins 
  • gathering information on the intervention activities
  • defining and measuring the intervention’s impact
  • evaluating whether the desired changes have been achieved
  • reviewing the organisational context, considering factors such as management changes
  • reflecting on practice to identify lessons learned to inform future interventions

Planning for change requires the input of practitioners from different backgrounds, functions, and organisational levels. Read more about developing workplace interventions with tools and templates to help you analyse and evaluate them.

Find out more about co-design

Planning for change should include input from staff from different backgrounds, functions and levels in the organisation. Co-design is a powerful tool to engage staff and will help you ensure that your interventions are helpful.

Co-design approaches can identify opportunities to enhance employees’ feelings of control and belonging. Co-design can help improve support structures and reduce stress.

See guidance to help organisations use co-design for developing wellbeing policy. You can read more about the value of co-design in Employer standard 1: Strong and clear social work framework.

References

Donaldson-Feilder, E., Yarker, J., & Lewis, R. (2011). ‘Preventing Stress in Organisations’. Wiley-Blackwell Publishers.

Fabian, M., & Alexandrova, A. (2022). ‘When, why, and how to do co-production in wellbeing policy and practice’. What Works Wellbeing.

Health and Safety Executive. (n.d.). ‘Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer Review of Mental Health and Employers’.

Society of Occupational Medicine. (2023). Burnout in healthcare: Risk factors and solutions.

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The resources have been developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 27 February 2025
Last updated: 27 February 2025