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In her 25-plus years as a clinical psychologist, Dr Jo Burrell says she’s seen her fair share of workers who are – quite literally – burned-out, stressed, and feel that they are simply unable to cope with the demands they feel they are under.
In her professional capacity, as someone who has had to listen and process the sometimes harrowing details people are sharing with her, her own job is one that could potentially have a huge toll on her own mental wellbeing. And yet – as she quite calmly admits – it doesn’t (or certainly not to the extent to which she is herself unable to cope). And – she adds – it’s precisely because of one thing: being on the receiving end of in-depth and regular clinical supervision.
“I’ve received ongoing clinical supervision for the whole of my career,” says Burrell. “In my profession, it’s recognised that we need people to support us; to help us get through the often troubling things we hear day to day.” But she adds: “Here’s the thing – this system of support simply doesn’t seem to exist for those who work in HR. There’s just this constant assumption that HR folk can ‘cope’. Well, I know they can’t cope, because people are telling me this on a daily basis, and HR badly needs help.”
The mental health of HR practitioners needs attention
Burrell is talking exclusively to HR Grapevine the week after Mental Health Awareness Week – a week that is normally reserved for recognising the mental health of employees. But this week – which is still in Mental Health Awareness Month she’s also publishing the results of a worrying study – the ‘HR Mental Health Wellbeing Report’ – the results of which she is exclusively sharing with HR Grapevine, and believes should really be used to take another look at the mental wellbeing of people who work in HR.
As well as HR people showing two and a half times more propensity for depression, their anxiety levels are also 1.5 times higher than those of the general population as a whole
Amongst a litany of shocking results (including the fact only 24% of HR professionals feel that they receive any support in relation to their own mental wellbeing; plus the fact 78% of HR respondents say they feel at risk of burn-out), is one particular stand-out statistic.
