A simple change in management helped reduce Mathew's anxiety and enabled Benbro to retain a very valuable and experienced staff member.
It took weeks of absence from work, for employer Benbro to realise there was a problem with one of their staff. Mathew did not turn up to work or call to say where he was. His manager got worried and began to contact family and friends. After nearly a week, Mathew was located in a nearby mental health facility.
As a mechanical engineer building prototypes for electronic equipment, working under high pressure triggered anxiety which meant that Mathew could no longer function at work.
After an extended leave of absence Mathew returned to work. He and his manager sat down to discuss what was causing the anxiety and what could be done to relieve the pressure. Mathew reported that too many tasks provided to him all at the same time, especially with unclear instructions, triggered his anxiety. He also found that his productivity was better in the morning and dropped off in the late afternoon. A simple change in management is all that was required to relieve the anxiety. Mathew’s manager was very supportive and was more than happy to accommodate his working needs.
Mathew now performs the same work as before only it is now allocated to him in smaller components with clear instructions on the delivery provided by his manager. These instructions allow him to focus on the task at hand without getting overwhelmed by the entire project. The introduction of more regular meetings with his manager also allows him to raise any concerns in relation to the project.
Having a flexible working arrangement allows Mathew to start earlier in the morning and finish earlier in the afternoon, meaning that he works when he is most productive.
Whilst Mathew did not plan to reveal his mental health condition to his employer, he was relieved to be able to collaboratively work through the issues to reduce his anxiety and, by doing, so maintain his productivity and retain his employment.
Benbro is pleased that they were able to work out a way to help Mathew back on track. ‘Mathew is a very valuable member of staff with a wealth of experience. Working together was beneficial to all parties.’
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