What it takes to be a strong role model for mental health in the comms industry

By Hannah Devoy, Director, Fight or Flight

As a PR leader with a passion for improving mental health standards in the PR industry, I’ve long considered how to be the best possible role model to others. For me, that means knowing how to encourage openness and transparency and to help people feel they can be themselves at work.

One thing’s for certain: it’s not easy. But before I get into what it takes, let me explain why it’s important.

We’re living in a time of crisis. 1 in 4 people experience mental health problems of some kind each year in England.

The picture is particularly bleak for younger generations. One in three 18-24-year-olds now report symptoms indicating they have experienced a common mental health problem, such as depression or anxiety disorder, compared with one in four in 2000.

What’s more, as much as we like to think the PR industry is improving – the data shows that’s not quite true.

The 2023/24 Mental Wellbeing Survey from the CIPR and PRCA reported that 91% of PR professionals had experienced poor mental health over the last 12 months, and the proportion of those who had been diagnosed with a mental health condition had risen from one in four (25%) to a third (33%).

The problem is undeniable and the solution must be driven by those at the top. People who have the ability to set workplace culture and lead by example.

To avoid symptoms getting worse, individuals must feel comfortable to say when they are experiencing mental illness and in need support. To achieve this, we must remove age-old stigma that often leads to people suffering in silence.

I’ve thought long and hard about exactly what to say about my own struggles with mental illness, and about my experiences of supporting others.

It’s not something I enter into lightly – after all, I’m a millennial. I grew up in a world where this wasn’t something you spoke about, particularly in a work environment.

But here, as we often advise clients, authenticity is essential. A 2021 study from EY found that authenticity is the most important value for GenZ, even more so than future plans or making money.

Exactly what a leader shares and how, is deeply personal and will vary from one individual to another. I can however tell you what has worked for me.

Get ready to be vulnerable

Whatever you do, being prepared to be vulnerable is the starting point for it and – if you’re anything like me – the most challenging hurdle to jump. As a PR agency lifer, I’ve perfected the art of being perennially ‘Great!’ - always putting a brave face on even when times are tough - so it can feel hard to let that particular barrier down. But you can’t expect others to be open with you if you aren’t vulnerable yourself, first.

Consider what your own unique perspective is, how you can use this to offer value to others, and where your red lines are

For me, it feels important for others to know that they aren’t alone in experiencing challenges in what can feel like a relentless industry, and – after spending a lifetime trying to ‘fix’ myself – the things I’ve learnt that might help others (not least that I don’t need to be ‘fixed’!). Of course, there are things that I’d rather not speak about right now, and that’s ok too.

Think about what platform makes sense to for you to share

Maybe it’s talking openly in the office. Maybe it’s writing about it on LinkedIn or a blog. The important thing is it feels comfortable and truthful to you.

Be prepared to listen to others

Giving others the space to speak and then really listening to them, is so important as a leader and not just when it comes to mental health. For workplace change, we’re all on a path of continual learning and improvement. All of us have blind spots. We are all privileged in some way but acknowledging that and hearing from others with different lived experiences will help us to become more empathetic.

Signpost resources

We need to normalise the act of seeking help. Be open with your team about the level of support your organisation offers, who or where they can go to when in times of need, and what external resources are also available to them.

Exactly how you decide to speak about mental health is unique to you and your own experiences. It might be that you aren’t comfortable speaking publicly about it but instead, focus on supporting individuals on a 1:1 basis. However you decide to do it, the most important thing is that it feels authentic to you.

I’d love to hear what has worked well for you and your organisation. Reach out to me directly on LinkedIn, or email State of Us via hello@innovatecomms.co.uk