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Content warning: This blog post mentions death, poor mental health, and mental ill health.
At MHFA England®, we campaign for mental health to be treated equally to physical health in the workplace and beyond. For men in particular, 52% would be concerned about taking time off work for poor mental health, while 46% would be embarrassed or ashamed to tell their employer (1).
To discuss the importance of openness around men’s mental health and organisations building a supportive workplace culture, we are joined by Matthew Alexander, Information and Security Officer and a member of our Advisory Committee.
Having previously had over 15 years’ experience and influence in the professional football industry, Matthew noted the lack of mental health support and understanding for sports people at all levels. He is dedicated to changing this and became an MHFA England Ambassador in 2020 before joining the Advisory Committee.
While women are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression than men (2), societal expectations mean men are less likely to share how they are feeling. Therefore, it’s hard to tell if the figures are a true representation.
Outdated views of what it means to be masculine, such as being outwardly “tough” and hiding vulnerability, are rooted in society. Men are often told to “man up” or face negative responses in the form of “banter”, disencouraging them from reaching out for support.
Encouragingly, The Workplace Health Report 2024 identified an increase in the number of men seeking help for their mental health. Nevertheless, there is still work that needs to be done to ensure seeking help isn’t seen as a sign of weakness, but one of strength and courage.
Matthew started seeing a therapist when his father died and continues to do so alongside support from his friends.
“I think it’s important that men speak openly about what’s going on in their lives with the people close to them,” he tells us. “I’m extremely lucky as I have a great friendship circle. We are very open with each other and they have helped me through some really tough times.”
It's important to remember that gender is intersectional and race also plays a part in mental health. Black men are more likely to experience psychosis (3) and Black people in the UK are far more likely to experience police involvement in their first contact with mental health services (4).
As a Mixed Race person, Matthew shares how this has affected him:
“I am more comfortable with myself now than I have ever been, however, it has been a long struggle.
“I was brought up in a small town where there was very little diversity. Representation of Mixed Race people wasn’t very evident back in the 80s and 90s, so I never felt like I fitted in anywhere. I do believe it affected me quite a lot throughout my adulthood.”
Most adults spend at least a third of their time at work. As a result, work can have a considerable impact on our overall wellbeing.
At MHFA England, we believe wellbeing and productivity fuel one another; when people feel psychologically safe, teams can unlock innovation and excellence.
Our My Whole Self campaign calls on organisations to empower employees to bring their authentic selves to work. That includes both gender and background as well as sexuality, religion, health, and mental health.
Having experienced the working cultures of two typically male-dominated industries, Matthew reflects on how workplaces have evolved to encourage male employees to bring their whole selves to work:
“There is still a lot that needs to be done in both industries. However, I feel like I can be my whole self more where I am now.
“In football I was always told that I was too nice, causing a lot of imposter syndrome. Despite working hard to get into a senior position, I felt I didn’t belong, so I wasn’t always myself.”
Employers who create an inclusive and open workplace culture will see improvements in performance and productivity as well as staff satisfaction and turnover.
Download the My Whole Self: Guide to creating inclusive workplace cultures
Culture change starts from the top.
When it comes to business, senior leaders and people managers lead by example; it should be no different with wellbeing.
In 2023, when asked what would help create a culture where everyone can bring their whole self to work, 25% of managers said a change in attitude from senior leadership (5).
Traditionally, we percieve good leaders as tough, emotionless, and focused only on numbers and delivering results. However, employee expectations post-pandemic place greater emphasis on empathy and authenticity within leadership (6). What’s more, the majority of leaders are male.
Leaders who can bring their whole selves to work are most successful in engaging their teams. This leads to better teamwork and communication, reduced staff conflict, and productivity growth.
“Life can affect your work and vice versa. Understanding that and supporting people has always been my top priority when being a leader,” says Matthew. “I always tried to lead by example – I didn’t always get it right, but I always tried. I think people respect authenticity.
“When I changed career, I had to start at the bottom again,” he continues. “I want to keep these experiences of working in more junior positions in mind so as I climb the ladder this understanding will be an invaluable contribution towards my future management style.”
Support your managers to lead by example
Men’s Health Week serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of men prioritsing both their physical and mental wellbeing, dismantling stereotypes, and seeking help.
We know there is still a long way to go in encouraging help-seeking behaviours, but workplaces are a logical place to start.
With over 15 years of experience working with over 20,000 organisations, we can help build and develop your wellbeing strategy and connect it to all corners of your organisation. Contact our workplace experts at workplace@mhfaengland.org to get started.
Sources:
(1) Mental Health UK, Statistics about men’s mental health
(2) The Workplace Health Report 2024, Champion Health
(3) Mental Health UK, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic mental health, rates of mental illness
(4) Bignall et al., 2019, Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Inequalities: Factsheet
(5) MHFA England, My Whole Self research, March 2023