Tackling the mental health crisis in our workplaces

Poor mental health is now a leading cause of workplace absence. As our deputy president Bev Laidlaw stated: "This motion is about a crisis hiding in plain sight." 

Post-Covid pressures and staff shortages have created an unsustainable environment.

Despite soaring absence levels, management support remains inadequate. Representatives highlighted a widespread lack of understanding regarding stress reduction plans. Delegate Joseph noted: "Stress is silent, you don’t always notice it until it clicks." 

Staff left without support

Managers often treat mental health with less urgency than physical injuries, leaving vulnerable staff without essential support.

To combat this, conference motion A199 mandates immediate action. The union will demand mandatory mental health training for all line managers. 

Furthermore, the union will launch a comprehensive educational programme for representatives and members to clarify employers' legal obligations regarding workplace wellbeing.

Stephen (DfE South West and South Wales branch) clearly stated: "We don’t need meditation apps; we need people to stop stressing us out." 

Members require structural intervention, proper funding and educated managers to stop workplace stress at the source.

Suicide prevention 

A series of poignant speeches from members and reps affected by suicide led to unanimous backing for a motion calling on PCS to back increased support and guidance in workplaces.

Motion A30 was brought to conference on the back of the publication of new guidance on intervention, prevention and support for people affected by suicide, called British Standard BS 30480 – Suicide and the Workplace.

Seconding the motion, one member said domestic abuse leads to high rates of suicide, both of which she had experienced in her life.

“I was in domestic abuse relationship in my late teenage years that has stayed with me for the rest of my life. I still have nightmares. I made two attempts on my life while dealing with the trauma of that. I was working full-time at the time and did not get any kind of support from my employer for it,” she said.

PCS rep Tim said it was also traumatic for reps and managers who are dealing with suicide-related cases at work, and that everyone involved needs support.

The motion instructed the NEC to campaign for all employers where PCS has members to adopt BS 30480 and to implement supporting guidance, policies, processes, and training.

Gill from R&C East Midlands branch said outsourced employer assistance programmes are “not care, but welfare washing” and she called for an end to the “culture of lazy email disclaimers” so we can “look out for each other and save lives.”

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