HR Heartbeat: Men’s mental health, too heavy to work, and…

Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we take a look at the week’s most pressing HR and employment law stories. With over 18 years’ experience in employee relations, I give my opinion on current trends impacting your business, as well as my own personal commentary on all things HR and legal.

November is Men’s Mental Health Month

It’s a dedicated time to talk about the physical and mental health challenges facing men. But whatever the month, we need to make time to talk about mental health. 50% of men have had mental health difficulties at some point. But less than half of them sought medical advice, and fewer than one in three confided in their partner, family, or friends.

But if men are unwilling to talk to their loved ones, how can employers help? Surprisingly, 43% of working British men are urging their employers to provide greater mental health support. Our Employee Advice Line (EAP) is available 24/7 for employees and their families. And it all remains completely confidential, so the employer doesn’t know who has accessed the service.

Lose weight or lose your job

Offshore workers in the North Sea have been told to lose weight or lose their jobs. By November 2026, anyone weighing more than 124kg (19.5 stone) will be banned from working offshore. Sounds harsh, but there’s a good reason. Rescue winches have a weight limit that includes the person being rescued, a rescue worker, a 29kg stretcher and a 5kg kit. When the average weight of workers has risen by almost 10kg in the last 15 years, something has to give. And we’d all rather it wasn’t the winch itself.

You can’t take risks with health and safety, so what are the 2,200 workers affected going to do? Offshore operators are already offering circuit training and gym sessions, as well as healthy food options. The industry body Offshore Energies UK has developed resources including videos, medical guidance, and advice on weight loss.

There’s a hope crisis at work

The workplace shouldn’t cause stress and uncertainty. While nobody’s pretending that everything’s sunshine and roses all the time, a recent global survey showed that almost a third of UK workers feel depressed when thinking about their future at work. It’s a statistic that needs investigation. Low morale can lead to low performance and high staff turnover, which will quickly have negative impacts on a business.

It's the time of year when mental health takes a dive, but there are ways to give your employees hope. If they’re struggling when they think about their future at work, find out what their goals are and how you can help them achieve them. Performance management should never be a box ticking exercise. In my experience, the best way to hold onto great employees is to talk about the future, and how you see them in it.

And that’s a wrap from me. Tune in next time for my take on the latest headlines and employment law stories, helping keep your business ahead!