Prince William’s recent advocacy for mandatory career breaks among NHS staff to combat burnout highlights a critical issue in healthcare.
The demanding nature of medical professions often leads to chronic stress and fatigue, adversely affecting both staff wellbeing and patient care.
Implementing ‘Booster Breaks’ – organised, routine work breaks aimed at enhancing physical and psychological health – has shown promise. These breaks can improve job satisfaction and productivity, serving as a preventive measure against burnout.
However, critics question how such initiatives would be financed, especially amid existing budget constraints and increasing patient demands.
Are Mandatory Health Breaks Feasible for Healthcare?
Making mental health breaks mandatory is a complex issue.
With the high emotionally and cognitively demanding nature of healthcare, there is certainly merit in introducing organised breaks. The sector is well aware that staff are vulnerable to extreme stress and burnout from long work shifts and rotations which can have a direct impact on patient care.
However, we are all too aware of staffing and funding issues troubling the NHS, which calls the feasibility of such an initiative into question. So, whilst in an ideal world without financial and personnel limitations, mandatory health breaks could have their place in the healthcare sector, this might not be realistic in the short-term.
Are Mandatory Health Breaks Feasible for Other Sectors?
Mandating any sort of leave has its challenges, and industries that are naturally more flexible with ways of working and are not as demanding as healthcare may not find a mandatory break necessary, even if they are possible. However, they could see a benefit in encouraging wellbeing days to boost the general mental health of their employees.
Regardless of the industry, mental health breaks should be standardised as the accepted norm, much like sick leave, where employees feel able to take time off when needed without stigma or financial penalty. Even changing the language in which mental health breaks are described to employees could help with this. For instance, referring to it as “wellbeing leave” shifts the focus from mental health struggles to personal wellbeing, removing potential taboos and stigma.
I believe the ultimate goal should be for organisations to incorporate mental health into workplace policies, fostering a culture of psychological safety where employees feel supported, rather than pressured to take breaks.
How Effective Could Mandatory Wellbeing Leave Be?
Mandatory wellbeing leave could play a role in normalising conversations around mental health and helping prevent chronic stress from developing into more serious conditions. That being said, there are potential downsides to consider:
1. Stigma still exists: Employees taking breaks might be seen as struggling or less capable, reinforcing workplace stigma.
2. The domino effect: In sectors like healthcare, mandatory leave could cause staffing shortages, adding pressure on colleagues who remain in work.
3. Risks of a ‘one size fits all’ approach: Mental health varies depending on the person, and some may find alternative coping strategies more effective than time off.
Alternatives to Enforced Mental Health Breaks
A more balanced approach would involve regular mental health check-ins and promoting self-directed breaks, rather than imposing universal requirements, giving employees more autonomy.
In addition, there are lots of alternative strategies that organisations can implement to better support their team’s mental health. Before mandating breaks, I’d recommend all employers consider three core areas:
1. Policy: Tailor mental health policies
Organisations should focus on tailoring mental health policies to their workforce’s needs, ensuring breaks and support are accessible, flexible, and stigma-free. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, employers must move beyond generic mental health policies and aim to offer tailored support, taking into account things like job roles and individual circumstances. This could involve offering specialised stress management training for high-pressure roles, or flexible scheduling for shift workers, for instance.
2. Environment: Foster a safe culture of wellbeing
Organisations should seek to establish the workplace as a safe environment where open discussions about mental health are not only accepted, but actively encouraged. It should be managers and leaders that start these conversations by asking questions and being aware of the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in the workplace. When in conversation, active listening is vital to making an employee feel seen and supported.
This will cultivate a culture of trust, where employees feel safe sharing their struggles and seeking support without fear of judgment.
3. Materials: Create a hub of resources
To reduce the need for mental health leave, organisations should look to offer preventive resources like emotional wellbeing apps, 24/7 mental health helplines, or single-session therapy and CBT. These resources can be offered as a workplace benefit, in the form of an EAP.
Providing helpful articles and resources on the company intranet can also support employees by empowering them with the tools they need to understand and manage their mental health effectively. These can include evidence-based resources from trusted sources on stress management, anxiety-relief techniques, and mindfulness routines. This not only addresses immediate concerns but also demonstrates a commitment to the long-term wellbeing of employees.
In Conclusion
While enforced breaks could significantly benefit employee mental health, particularly for those in high-stress roles, such as NHS workers, careful consideration of implementation strategies is essential. Though structured breaks are vital for industries such as healthcare and emergency services, balancing the wellbeing of workers with the practicalities of service delivery requires thoughtful planning and resource allocation.
Instead, organisations should consider what else they can offer employees to ensure that their mental health is supported in the workplace and challenges are never stigmatised. By providing employees with the tools they need to prevent and address mental health concerns, coupled with the guilt and judgment-free empowerment to take time for self-care, organisations could remove the necessity for mandatory mental health breaks and create both a healthier workforce and a healthier business.
Colin Preece is a Chartered Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Counsellor. Following a career in the British police service he has supported athletes in psychological preparation for competitive events including the gaining of multiple gold medals at succussive Olympic games.
Colin is passionate about wellbeing, having taught psychology at both university and secondary school level. He is currently a clinical lead at Teladoc Health, leading a team providing high quality mental health care to a diverse patient group. He has specific interests in wellbeing, prevention, and performance under pressure.