How to build mental resilience in times of change

Although there are opportunities in the Transition process, the requirement to produce food while carrying out work to improve biodiversity, cut pollution and reduce the impact of climate change is a challenge.

All that work must be done without the long-term security of Basic Payment Scheme support and concern over government tax plans.

See more: Agricultural alliance set to support mental health

The combined impact causes frustration, stress and pressure, and the burden of that falls on the shoulders of individuals.

It is no wonder that mental health is being compromised and evidence of suffering is widespread.

In the past 12 months, farming support charities have reported a 40% increase in calls for help.

Even greater surges followed poor harvests, bad weather and the chancellor’s Autumn Budget.

A staggering 15,000 people responded to a recent health and wellbeing survey carried out by the rural support charity the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (Rabi), underlining the scale of the problem.

Clearly, there is a widespread issue in the farming community.

But equally there is a clear message from the dedicated professionals and volunteers who provide support.

Seek help – it is possible to improve your own and your staff’s mental resilience to better cope with managing change.

Here, we speak to experts Emma Haley, charity director at You Are Not Alone (Yana), and Alex Phillimore, head of communications and development at The Farming Community Network (FCN).

We also consult Tess Howe of The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (Tiah) for tips on changing the work environment and training that could improve the mental resilience of your workforce.

Mental health is critical

Emma explains that mental health is as important as physical health to the safety and productivity of a farm’s workforce.

And, Alex adds that mental health is not a myth or weakness – it does exist, it is serious and it is real and, ultimately, it can affect our physical health.

A person’s energy and ability to concentrate can be directly affected and this is a liability when working with livestock and machinery.

Decisions and organisation can also be compromised, potentially reducing the productivity and efficiency of a business.

In order to be positive and be successful, you need to be in a good state of mental health.

When it is poor, it can alter your outlook on life and counters your ability to manage and adapt to change, says Alex.

Just as we all have physical health, everyone has a mental health profile and they are both intrinsically connected, Emma points out.

Mental wellbeing can vary widely and this can change depending on what is happening in life, she says. Everyone can manage different amounts of stress.

But when it passes our personal threshold for longer than 14 days, it could be time to talk to someone.

There are things we can do that can make a difference to how well we feel, be it physically or mentally, when things are building up or feeling overwhelming.

But finding what works for you is important, suggests Emma.

Recognising poor mental health

Recognising that you are experiencing poor mental health is not always easy.

Alex says that mental ill-health is harder to identify and understand than a physical injury or disease.

A mental health issue can develop gradually, without your knowledge. This can make it hard to spot your own difficulties. It may be someone else that notices a change in your behaviour.

If that is the case, it is important not to dismiss what they are saying and to step back and think about how you really do feel and whether you have changed.

Potential symptoms

• A more pessimistic, gloomy or negative approach than usual
• Feeling stressed more quickly
• Small things make you react negatively
• Unusual tiredness or demotivation
• Lack of drive to socialise.
• More irritable/shorter temper.

It is important to admit to yourself that you are not just tired because of hard work or exercise and that your reactions have changed to something beyond your control. If this is the case, contact one of the charities listed below.

Whether or not you are suffering now, there are actions to build your mental resilience to help you cope better with the turbulent situation in farming, says Alex.

Managing change

With the challenges facing farming, it is easy to slip into a situation where you bury yourself in work.

There’s also a work ethic in farming that can encourage us to compete to show who can work hardest, says Alex.

But this is destructive. Ultimately, productivity is better if you are not physically and mentally exhausted – you will also make fewer mistakes.

How to manage the mental wellbeing of your staff

Tackling the stigma

Stigma still surrounds mental health in some teams and this must be addressed.

People find it hard to understand poor mental health so some will not see its validity.

Poor mental health can also be interpreted as weakness.

But this belief must be dispelled and staff must learn to appreciate it is something we can all experience.

Understand the practical, everyday aspects of mental health – it isn’t a fluffy, emotion-filled idea, it’s a very real thing we all have.

Recognising this and talking about it can help, says Emma.

Key to this is a workplace culture that treats poor mental health as a serious condition.

This must come from the top and be impressed upon all team members.

If the boss doesn’t take the issue seriously, the team will not either.

Lead by example and talk about your own coping strategies, Alex suggests.

To keep the message alive, have resources with contact details for charities posted around on noticeboards, offices and toilets.

When a person is struggling, make sure the team works to support them.

Ensure they know it is OK to be not OK and acknowledge these are challenging times, says Emma.

Provide reassurance and make yourself available to talk to individuals.

Spotting the signs of poor mental health

This is difficult. It may not be the quiet, gloomy person in the team that is suffering.

It may be the joker or the bullish one that has an issue. Their behaviour may just be to mask their ill health, says Alex.

It is also important to remember that the employee who is often late, or makes mistakes or is snappy, is not necessarily lazy or forgetful or angry. It’s likely something else is going on for them, says Emma.

A key sign is a change in a person’s character.

Any changes that you notice compared to what is normal for them might suggest something is not right. The outward signs of poor mental health may include:

• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Drop-off in performance
• Forgetfulness
• Appearing distracted
• Poor concentration.

With these symptoms it is more likely they will make mistakes or cut corners and this can be really dangerous in a farming workplace, so address the issue quickly.

Talking about mental health

If someone comes forward, always take it seriously and act on it. Do not defer any requests.

It’s alright to be direct about changes you have noticed and to let them know they can talk to you.

The first few times they may not want to, but by showing them you noticed and were willing to ask them, you are creating an opportunity to talk, says Emma.

It is important to consider the situation. Don’t attempt to have a chat in a busy place, where other staff are present or across the desk. You may want to go for a walk, find a reason why you need to go out, or do a task together, she adds.

If you can, ask more open-ended questions like: “How are you feeling?” or “How have things been going lately?”.

Then ask them again if you don’t get a response, but maybe in a different way: “How are you doing, how are you getting on?”.

Asking again, overcomes the initial knee-jerk response of “fine” or “OK” and provides an opportunity for the person to open up, says Alex.

Listening – really listening – is vital. That means not trying to solve their problems, but to listen without judgement, Emma insists.

Pay close attention to the answers you get and ask them to talk about the way the stresses of farming are making them feel, adds Alex.

If they open up and start talking, it may be necessary to guide them to professional help. If there’s an immediate risk to life then, with their permission, call the emergency services.

Tips to improve the work environment

It is important to create an environment where people can interact and to foster a sense of a secure, supportive team.

Working in agriculture can be lonely, so make a point of checking in and talking to every individual regularly.

For the team, create a clean, comfortable space for everyone to come together and air concerns, ask questions and socialise.

Consult staff to understand what they would find useful and engaging, rather than making decisions on their behalf, suggests Alex.

Training

Tess Howe, Tiah head of partnerships and policy, says management training and other courses can help to equip farm staff to adapt to change and boost confidence.

A major stressor can be feeling unable to tackle the tasks that are being allotted.

Because of the transition to environment-based support schemes, staff may need to adapt to carry out different tasks.

For some, this will create insecurities. When people feel they can’t do their job, it can cause stress, ultimately leading to a loss of self-worth, says Tess.

Training is a good way to extend the skill-base of a workforce and this will help them cope with changing tasks, and build personal resilience, she says.

It may also be that you want to promote a team member but they have gaps in their knowledge of how to manage staff.

This can be stressful for the whole team, including the person who has been promoted.

A management training course could provide answers and new skills to develop an approach that will foster team spirit.

There is also specific training on mental health, both in terms of mental health awareness and mental health first aid to better support people who come forward with a problem.

Many of the charities provide some training on mental health. For example, Yana attends farms to deliver talks or mental health training.

Having dedicated mental health first-aiders embedded within the team, who are trained to spot signs of suffering, is vital, suggests Tess.

That said, even without training, we have all had that gut feeling in the past that something isn’t quite right.

Many people don’t know what to do, and end up hoping somebody else deals with it.

If you are ever in this situation, please ask one of the charities below for advice.

Tips to help improve mental resilience

• Celebrate wins It’s easy to be too hard on yourself. But taking time to congratulate yourself when you do something right or highlighting when something goes well will help your mental health.
• Ignore things you cannot control Bad news and the weather are outside our control so don’t let them become a focus. If you are on social media, avoid so-called “doomscrolling”. The algorithms beneath the social media platforms will throw up posts linked to your search to keep you hooked. You can get caught in a downward spiral. Take breaks from social media frequently and tell yourself things are not so bad.
• Improve sleep patterns Interrupted sleep and the resulting lack of energy makes situations appear worse. Devices are known to disrupt sleep if used immediately before lights out so switch off early. Write down all the things on your mind before going to bed. Then if you do wake in the night, you know there is no more you can do until the next day.
• Develop a non-farming interest Take up a hobby, play or watch sport, or listen to music to focus on something other than farming. This can give us a reset and help us to face things with a clearer mind.
• Communicate Talking and being listened to can help to prevent things in our mind from snowballing. It can help us to hear a different perspective, which can enable us to cope better.
• Deep breathing This can be a game-changer – it’s free, no-one else needs to know you’re doing it, and it can calm your nervous system and help to improve your physical and mental health.