By Dr Glenn Mason Head of Adult Psychological Therapies, Onebright
Parent Mental Health Day was a reminder that it is important to support the mental health of parents, caregivers, and guardians. In the UK, parents make up a large proportion of people who are experiencing mental health issues. 68% of women, and 57% men. This highlights the need for tailored support. Mental health is not an isolated issue. When a parent struggles, it can affect the whole family.
It is important to ensure that parents get the support they need, not only for their own well-being, but also for their children’s. Financial stress, balancing family and work, or worries about the mental health of their children can all be a major burden. Employers have an opportunity to support parents and create healthier workplaces.
Mental Health Challenges for Parents
It can be a rewarding experience, but also overwhelming at times. Parents make up around 13 million of the UK’s workforce, and their mental health has a direct impact on their personal life as well as their workplace performance. Many parents are silently burdened by the mental strain of balancing their work and family lives.
This invisible burden, which can include everything from managing the schedules of children and household chores to working hard at work to excelling in your career, can lead to burnout. Parents often find themselves stretched thin by the demands of work and home, with little time left for self-care. Financial stress is exacerbated by rising costs of living and childcare, while guilt can be experienced for not being able to spend enough time with their children because of work commitments. Many parents are also concerned about the mental health of their children.
One third of parents who are concerned about the mental health of their children have thought about reducing their work hours. 1% even quit their job.
Deloitte’s study estimates that UK employers lose PS8 billion in annual absenteeism due to such concerns.
In addition, the majority of working parents who are worried about their child’s mental well-being (63%) say that they seek external support in order to deal with these issues, rather than approaching employers.
Screen Time and Mental Health
The theme for this year, “Screen Smart Parenting”, offers an opportunity to examine the challenges that families face when it comes to problematic screen usage, and what employers can do to provide effective support. Although digital devices provide entertainment and education benefits, excessive screen use is linked to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Parents who are trying to balance their professional and family obligations while managing their children’s screen time will be even more stressed.
Practical Solutions for Employers
There are many ways to offer meaningful support. Flexible policies allow parents, for instance, to work at home or to adjust their working hours in order to better manage childcare duties. Parents with children under the age of five who have not yet started school can benefit from this flexibility, as they are able to monitor screen time themselves.
Employee Support Programmes
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can be a powerful solution. They provide access to professionals like psychologists and therapists. These programmes help parents to manage their mental health as well as that of their child. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, offered by EAPs, is a structured method of helping children to manage their screen time. CBT techniques help children form healthier habits when it comes to digital device usage by identifying triggers and encouraging alternatives. Children can be helped by parents to set boundaries, while also focusing on their emotional well-being and self-regulation.
Training Line Managers
To create a supportive culture, managers must be trained to recognize the unique challenges parents face in the workplace. They should also respond with empathy. Early recognition of signs of burnout in parents can be a great way to support employees. Burnout is often characterized by persistent fatigue, irritability and withdrawal from social interaction, as well as a decline in performance. Parents with mental health problems may express concerns or show emotional distress due to the difficulty of balancing family and work responsibilities. Parents and children should be trained to understand the effects of screen time. It is easy for employees who rely on digital devices to work to be ‘always-on’, checking email or responding to notifications after hours. Parents can benefit from promoting healthier screen habits for their children and themselves. This will improve mental health, focus and help to separate work and private life.
The Return On Investment
Employers have a responsibility to support the mental health and wellbeing of their parents. This is not just a moral obligation, but also a strategic one. Parents who struggle with mental health will find that their productivity and engagement at work are affected. Stress or anxiety caused by financial or family pressures can cause presenteeism. This is when employees are physically present, but cannot focus on their work. Other parents might need time off for their own health and that of their family. This can lead to an increase in absenteeism, and a burden on colleagues. These issues can lead to higher turnover rates over time as employees seek out more supportive environments.
When employers create a culture of support for parental wellbeing, employees are able to thrive. Parents will feel supported and understood in a workplace that prioritizes mental health. They can then better manage their responsibilities at home and work. This leads to improved retention, decreased absenteeism and increased productivity.
It is important to take a holistic approach and provide support for the whole family, because when one parent struggles, it has a ripple effect on the rest of the family. It may be helpful to offer external resources such as workshops or counselling for the entire family in order to help parents deal with common issues like screen time and school-related stress. By creating a culture in the workplace where mental health discussions are normalised, and stigma is removed, employees will feel more supported and be more willing to seek assistance when they need it. All parents, regardless of whether they are employed full-time or part-time, taking parental leave or not, should have access to mental support. All parents, whether they are employed full-time, part-time, on parental leave, or not currently employed, deserve access to mental health support.
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