Evaluating a pilot mental health awareness for managers' training course

Background Despite the substantial personal and economic consequences of mental ill-health, and the relationship between mental ill-health and poor management provision, further work is needed to provide a robust evaluation of employment interventions to address mental ill-health in the workplace. Aims To provide a pilot service evaluation of a UK organization's mental health awareness for managers' training provision. Methods Participants were 93 employees at a UK-based organization who attended one of the three different types of, independently facilitated, half-day training courses designed to raise managers' awareness and understanding of mental health. All participants were asked to complete three questionnaires (one prior to the training session, one immediately following the training session and one 3 months after the training session). Each questionnaire contained six questions concerning participants' awareness of mental ill-health, and their confidence in dealing with mental ill-health among employees. Results Participants reported feeling more aware of mental ill-health at work and more confident in their ability to address mental ill-health among their employees after attending mental health awareness for managers' training. Conclusions Although further work is needed to explore the efficacy of different types of training, the results of our pilot evaluation alongside the extant literature suggest that workplace interventions can have positive implications for good mental health.