International Men’s Day – supporting mental health in the tech industry
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International Men’s Day – Supporting Mental Health in the Tech Industry

Using International Men’s Day to highlight male mental health and wellbeing awareness.

Earlier this year, we marked International Women’s Day and reiterated our commitment to providing clear pathways, encouragement and opportunities for women to participate in tech. With the world marking International Men’s Day on Saturday 19th November, we’re looking at another vital topic, in the shape of male mental health and wellbeing.

THE STATE OF MALE MENTAL HEALTH IN 2022 

Of our 437 core Node4 group employees, 79% are male. As an organisation, we remain committed to supporting initiatives that improve diversity and inclusion, bringing a wide variety of people from all walks of life into STEM. But we also recognise that more needs to be done to support the mental wellbeing of that 79%, as statistically, men are less likely to talk about any of the issues they might be facing.

The stats surrounding male mental health and wellbeing, alongside the challenge of improving both in a broader sense, have never made for comfortable reading, but they must still be recognised. A survey of 1,000 UK-based men carried out by Priory Group earlier this year found that:

  • 40% of men have never spoken to anyone about their mental health
  • 77% of men polled suffered with a common mental health symptom, such as anxiety, stress or depression
  • 20% said there was a “negative stigma” associated with talking about mental health

The final statistic suggests that attitudes to mental health are improving, thanks in no small part to increased awareness. But when 40% of men have no history of discussing their mental health with anyone, with typical reasons such as embarrassment, not wanting to be a burden or an insistence that they’ve “learned to deal” with their problems, it’s clear that there is still work to be done.

And this is especially important in the tech industry, given its fast-paced, competitive and intense nature. With work pressure cited as the single biggest cause of male mental health issues (32%), we believe that as awareness increases, clearly signposting people to available, confidential services is essential.

Within the last week, we conducted our second webinar in our Security Synopsis Series, in which our Engagement Partner Jessica Bell shared some fascinating insight into the part mental health plays in the daily life of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). We would encourage anyone with a passing interest to watch the on-demand video here, given Jessica’s extensive knowledge and experience on the subject.

OUR APPROACH

Node4 has a team of qualified Mental Health First Aiders that are always ready to support our employees whenever they’re needed, and we offer a dedicated Employee Assistance Programme to aid our workforce during difficult periods. Making sure that these services are highlighted and clearly communicated to our workforce should they be required is of utmost importance to us, and we will continue to maintain and promote them for the benefit of all employees.

“If ever there was any doubt how vital these services are, the feedback we receive from colleagues is a regular reminder of what a lifeline these resources can be in times of crisis,” shared our Head of People, Samantha Thorne. “We signposted the support available on our internal communications platform to mark World Mental Health Day recently, and it was great to see male colleagues stepping up to comment publicly on how useful they’d found the services, offering some reassurance to anyone else who might be unsure about whether to reach out for support.”

“Creating an environment in which people feel comfortable to talk openly about mental health and raise awareness and acceptance, whilst also providing the right support to work through issues in private is so important to wellbeing of our teams across Node4 and creating a truly supportive and inclusive environment.”

Andrew Slater, our Technology Practice Director for Cloud commented: “As an MHFA at Node4 and as someone who has been in a few dark places personally, the support of the company through initiatives such as the EAP is hugely important. Men especially struggle to talk and having an open, non-judgemental attitude to mental health can be so liberating – it allows blokes to discuss their own challenges and sometimes, a simple conversation can make a world of difference.”

If you’re struggling with aspects of your mental health, there is always help available. The following services are confidential, free and can offer immediate assistance if required: