September 10^th marks Suicide Prevention day and this year the message from the Samaritans is that suicide is not inevitable, it can be prevented so if you think someone is suicidal then do something – you can interrupt the suicidal thoughts and save a life.

Suicide is a very serious topic but suicide and suicide prevention doesn’t seem to feature in workplace training, support and discussions the way it should. We have made major strides towards supporting mental health in the workplace but we could take

Figures from the Samaritans show that

The majority of people with lived suicide experience said that their suicidal thoughts have been interrupted.

• 60% said their suicidal thoughts had been interrupted by someone close to them, like a friend or family member.
• 14% said their suicidal thoughts had been interrupted by a stranger or someone they didn’t know.

We can be a little wary of talking to colleagues about mental heath or feelings but I guess these figures prove that starting the conversation could possibly save a life.

So what can we do in the workplace?

We can specifically address suicide prevention by including details of organisations who increase awareness and prevent suicide when we offer information on support available.

We can encourage others to start the conversation, be aware of the risks and reduce the stigma, we all know it happens but avoiding it simply perpetuates shame or the belief that we shouldn’t talk about it.

Offer managers support and training, most people won’t have the skills necessary and it is important to recognise the seriousness and understand that the right support and at the right time is essential. Additionally ensuring policies are in place to support staff facing bullying, uncertain work futures, redundancies, disciplinaries will work towards making sure employees see options other than suicide.

Understand the risks for suicide and consider issues specific to your workplace e.g. stress, isolation as well as understanding statistics that point to lower paid males being at higher risk than other groups – possibly driven by the fact that young men don’t tend to ask for help. Life events outside work such as illness, money worries, grief or the end of a relationship can also have a major impact although suicide is not predictable so many will experience issues and thankfully never feel suicidal.

Raise awareness on the signs that someone may be suicidal such as

• expression of thoughts or feelings about wanting to end their life, or talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live 
• expression of feelings of isolation, loneliness, hopelessness or loss of self-esteem, or dwelling on problems 
• withdrawal from colleagues, decrease in work performance or difficulty completing tasks 
• changes in behaviour, such as restlessness, irritability, impulsivity, recklessness or aggression 
• speaking about arranging end-of-life personal affairs, such as making a will, or concrete plans for suicide 
• abuse of alcohol or other substances 
• depressed mood or mention of previous suicidal behaviour 
• bullying or harassment. 

As previously mentioned these are just warning signs that things aren’t ok and it may be time for a chat.

If your workplace is affected by suicide the impact on staff can be profound and long lasting and a plan for support is necessary.

This may include clear communication, compassionate leave, access to counselling and an ongoing commitment to training and support for the team as a death by suicide may trigger other metal health issues and can affect employees for a significant amount of time.

Whilst we are not mental health experts we will work with you to talk about a plan for your business and can point you towards organisations equipped to help so give us a call.