The Killer Not Making the Headlines
by Warren Madlin, Director MadlinHanna Consulting
In a week where the bulletins have quite rightly been dominated by the atrocious acts of human violence in Sri Lanka – I was shocked to discover the biggest killers are not guns and bombs. More people commit suicide each year than are killed in warfare, terrorism and crime combined- (TedTalk by Yuval Noah Harari). No effort by soldiers, extremists or murderers ever comes close to the number of people that choose to end their lives themselves. In essence, our minds are more dangerous than gunpowder. So what are we doing in the workforce to protect from this silent killer?
From Campaign to Reality
With initiatives like World Mental Health Day, Heads Together and Project 84 the conversation around mental health and suicide has grown but as employers and managers, there is a responsibility to continue the conversation beyond these campaigns. There has been a clear shift in how willing we are as a species to talk about our own mental vulnerabilities but for as long as eight hundred thousand people every single year don’t get the help in time to save them, we need to do more. These campaigns will only be successful if those in positions of responsibility take the mantle on and support mental wellbeing in their management techniques and mechanisms.
Prevention
Plenty of research has been done in regards to how we can spot someone at risk of suicide and there is a single, standout alarm bell – a prior attempt to take their own life. So why are we failing so badly at stepping in at this stage and preventing future harm? Suicide Line offer some excellent advice on having the conversation:
“You might be worried that you might ‘put the idea of suicide into the person’s head’ if you ask about suicide. You can’t make a person suicidal by showing your concern. In fact, giving a suicidal person the opportunity to express his or her feelings can give relief from isolation and pent-up negative feelings, and may reduce the risk of a suicide attempt.”
The Role of the Workplace
We spend the vast portion of our waking hours in the workplace, you see your colleagues more than you see your friends and family, so if you are a candidate of mine and manage a team, or if you are a client who owns a business, please take note, do your research and implement measures that prove you are taking this wholly preventable crisis seriously. There are plenty of resources that can help to get you started:
We really encourage the discussion around mental health and making these difficult conversations more commonplace. Please do seek advice from trusted sources on how best to make your workplace a safe and open environment.
MadlinHanna Consulting is a recruitment consultancy specialising in corporate affairs, covering public affairs, corporate communications and financial PR. Contact us on 020 8088 4102 for more information or a confidential conversation.