The document discusses the high costs that mental health issues place on UK employers in terms of sickness absence, reduced productivity, and staff replacement costs. It also notes that 84% of employees have experienced poor mental health issues contributed to by work. The document advocates for establishing a culture of self-care and support for mental health in the workplace by planning projects carefully, managing workloads, and fostering open communication about mental health challenges. It emphasizes balancing engagement with detachment and considering both staff and user well-being.

1. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Put on your own oxygen
mask before helping others
Agile In The City Bristol
Anne Dhir
She/her
@brightkaos

2. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Let’s talk about
mental health

3. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Trial and errors

4. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Why this talk?

5. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

6. Mental health problems in the UK
workforce cost employers almost
£35 billion a year
£10.6 bn in sickness absence
£21.2 bn in reduced productivity at work, or ‘presenteeism’
£3.1 billion in replacing staff who leave their jobs because of their mental health
(Parsonage and Saini 2017)
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

7. 84% of employees have experienced
symptoms of poor mental health
where work was a contributing factor
(Deloitte Centre for Health Solutions, 2017)
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

8. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
About triggers

9. Emergency
care
Unemployment
Young people
in care
Youth mental
health
Domestic
Violence
Emergency
Helplines
Housing

10. Travelling
for work
Managing
clients
Juggling
deadlines

11. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

12. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Are we really ready
for people to bring
their whole selves to
work?

13. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
About needs

14. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
We can’t design
future experiences
at the cost of
present ones

15. As a team, we need to work with a
balanced amount of engagement and
detachment so that we can look after
ourselves and each other.
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

16. As a team, we need to plan difficult
projects carefully so we can achieve
good outcomes for our client and our
people.
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

17. As a team, we need to establish a
culture where it’s OK to ask for help so
that we practice what we preach.
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

18. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
The Jenga of mental health
1. Self-care
2.Work culture
3.Design projects
4.Manage projects
5.Support staff
6.Support users

19. 1. Self-care
Breathe
Ground yourself
Shake it off
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

20. 2. Open our work cultures
It’s OK not to be OK
Learn to communicate better
Set boundaries
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

21. 3. Design projects
Bring in the subject experts
Work with communities
Assign projects mindfully
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

22. 4. Manage projects
Slow down
Pair up
Include health in risk management
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

23. 5. Support staff
Mental health first aid training
Internal support
External support
mhfaengland.org
sja.org.uk
smhfa.com
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos

24. 6. Support users
Retelling stories can be traumatic
Give before you take
Design the whole interaction
Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Users

25. Anne Dhir | @brightkaos
Read more
Put on your oxygen mask before helping others: the importance of mental well-being
in service design, Linköping University Electronic Press
http://bit.ly/mentalhealthdesign
Contact me:
anne@wearesnook.com