Statistics show that people with severe mental health conditions die as much as two decades prematurely. Also, in high-income countries, such as the UK, over 75% of people with depression have reported that they do not receive adequate care.

Sharon McCormick, founder of The Listening Centre, said that businesses must play their part if we are going to make wellbeing a priority. “World Mental Health Day is a chance for companies to show staff that they care about their wellbeing. They could use it to set up a series of workplace activities designed to engage employees, with the ultimate aim of reducing stigma surrounding wellbeing in the workplace.

“We all know that to tackle problems, such as stress, anxiety and depression, communication is key. It costs nothing to share a cuppa and a chat with a colleague who is perhaps not coping as well as normal. Often companies do not have the expertise, in-house resources or time to deal with these issues – and that’s where The Listening Centre comes in. We provide a range of services, from staff counselling and corporate training to workplace mediation and trauma support.”

The Covid pandemic has highlighted how important our wellbeing is, with estimates showing that depression and anxiety symptoms have understandably risen more than 25%. Even before the pandemic it is estimated one in eight people globally were living with what mainstream medical settings consider to be a ‘mental disorder’.

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) established World Mental Health Day in 1992. It is the only annual global awareness campaign to focus attention on specific aspects of mental health and is now commemorated on all continents of the world and in nearly all countries.

A spokesperson from the World Federation for Mental Health said: “The culture of our workplaces needs to support mental health and well-being of the workforce, so that employers are better prepared. The mental health and well-being of many health, social care and frontline workers has also been affected by the pandemic, and systems need to be strengthened to provide better support to such staff during times of crisis and challenge.”

Sharon added: “Close to one billion people are living with emotional distress – so please look around you at work and do the maths. Often, it’s the little things that make the difference, so just by showing you care for your staff’s well-being it could prevent someone from going off on long-term sick. Let’s all try to break down the wall of silence and reduce the stigma found in the workplace.”