Early indicators

A policy should also give some information on indicators that an individual might be having mental health problems. These range from physical symptoms, such as fatigue and appetite changes, to psychological symptoms, including mood changes and increased sensitivity and behavioural indicators, such as increased smoking and drinking or intense or obsessive activity.

Many more are listed in the People managers’ guide to mental health, produced by the CIPD HR organisation and mental health charity Mind.

A policy agreed by unions and management at the Houses of Parliament lists the following symptoms, which are extracted from the CIPD/Mind guidance:

• changes in work performance, not getting things done/missing deadlines;

• working longer hours than normal;

• changes in social functioning, withdrawn and isolated from colleagues;

• changes in personality/mood swings/self-critical;

• physical signs; tiredness, difficulty sleeping, increased sickness absence;

• alcohol or drug misuse; and

• in extreme cases, suicidal comments such as talking about being a burden on others or feeling hopeless and having no reason to live.