Jonathan’s Voice have partnered with IP Inclusive on several projects this year, including our survey of mental wellbeing in the patent and trade mark professions, some of the results of which are mentioned in this post. We’ll be publishing a full report of the survey very soon: it brings valuable information about the mental health challenges in this sector, in particular stress, anxiety, depression and, sadly, suicidal thoughts.
Val’s words come from a very personal place, and reflect her deep commitment to reducing suicide risk in the profession that her late son Jonathan loved so much. If you’re affected by what she writes, we would urge you to talk to someone about it: LawCare provide a free, confidential helpline for all legal professionals on 0800 279 6888 (plus a new webchat service), and the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 (again, a free and confidential service).
Mental health and well-being are talked about more openly. Well known personalities are willing to share their personal experiences. Mindfulness is being introduced into many schools. There has been an increasing interest in the potential of Mental Health First Aiders. All good.
So what next?
The IP Inclusive, CIPA and CITMA survey for Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 indicated some positive signs, but found that more than half of the patent and trade mark professionals reported being affected by stress, at least a fifth by depression and at least two fifths by anxiety. Worryingly, roughly 1 in 17 of the respondents had contemplated suicide in the previous 12 months. So, in a workplace of around 50 people, there may be three who are experiencing such seriously disturbing thoughts. Is one of them working alongside you?
A friend recently shared that she had been in a very dark place but had eventually found the courage to approach her manager. In her words, “He saved me because he knew how I was feeling as he had been there.” In the survey cited above, well over half the respondents said they were unable to discuss mental health problems fully with their colleagues and employers. Jonathan would have been one of those statistics; he was not able to share the extent of how bad he was feeling with his friends, family or colleagues. This has driven one of the aims of the charity, Jonathan’s Voice, “to empower individuals to speak out.”
It is critical to create a culture which enables more people to feel that it is safe to share their mental health issues with employers and that having taken that step, to receive the support they need, particularly from line managers. “Line Managers are the most important link in the chain when it comes to supporting good mental health in the workplace” (Seizing the Momentum – Mental Health at Work 2018 summary report, Business in the Community 2018). Mental health and well- being is not an “add-on” but to be embedded in the organisation and owned by senior managers. The effect of senior leaders sharing their own stories has been seen to have a powerful impact. “The bottom line is that health initiatives must be both top down and bottom up: they must be a whole organisation approach” (Professor Avril Drummond, School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham).
This approach is one of the “What next?”s.
Jonathan always showed an interest and a concern for all the people with whom he worked and this is a strategy he would have warmly endorsed.
Will your organisation show its commitment by signing the Time to Change Employer Pledge?
There are also some excellent resources to assist in supporting employees on the IP Inclusive/Jonathan’s Voice Mental Health and Wellbeing webpage.
Val McCartney
Jonathan’s Voice
Page published on 10th September 2019
Page last modified on 10th September 2019