5 Minutes with Dr Robert Baskind, Consultant Psychiatrist

Our Head of Building Products was invited to this year’s Glazing Summit by long term client, VEKA UK.

During the day, we were, along with the whole audience, mightily impressed by a candid discussion given on mental health within the industry.

This was introduced by long term owner of Elmhurst Windows, Richard Abrahams, who opened the discussion by highlighting that he had suffered with mental health issues several years ago.

This led him to working with Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Robert Baskind. Along with others, they have started on a journey to helping others from within the fenestration and building products industry.

Along with Editor of Glass & Glazing Products Magazine, Chris Beck, who provided them with a platform to open up about their work at the summit, next year they’re working with Nigel Headford, CEO Council for Aluminium in Building.

Here’s what they discussed:

Collingwood: Your talk at the summit was incredibly enlightening and somewhat brave. Whether we like it or not, building products is a male dominated industry, filled with a lot of bravado and masculinity. How difficult has it been to get companies and individuals to open up about how they truly feel?

Rob: It has historically been a challenge to speak to companies to make time to speak about mental health. It has usually low down on priorities as they caught up in autopilot and the stresses of managing a business, day to day staff issues and financial worries. This is slowly changing as more Directors and CEOs themselves recognise the importance of positive mental health both for themselves and employees. This often is triggered by a personal or family experience they have had. Mental health in general is getting more awareness and publicity which is a good thing. But it is still a challenge to persuade companies it’s a priority to invest in especially when finances are tight and that’s understandable.

Collingwood: You mentioned that it’s often lonely at the top. It’s a common theme that I hear from some Managing Directors that I’ve placed in the industry. What’s both of your advice for these leaders and what work have you been doing in helping them?

Rob: My advice is to be speaking to someone, preferably a coach or reach out to their GP or a therapist if needed. Also to re-evaluate their balance in life especially around work and family demands. Are they finding time in the week outside these demands, to exercise, eat properly, manage their sleep. It’s important to find ways to have times to slow down and step off as treadmill otherwise burnout, mental health deterioration, alcohol misuse etc often become the consequences. We provided a very successful Mens mental health day in June in which many came very sceptical but left feeling they had light bulb moments, felt able for the first time to speak openly and vulnerable in a safe space and thinking how they may take this back, into the workplace.

Collingwood: Sadly, I can perceive mental health quickly becoming a token gesture and box ticking exercise by companies. What measures can companies put in place to ensure help sticks, and staff feel genuinely supported?

Rob: I would say the most important step would be to help ensure the environment is a safe space for the employees. That may mean inviting time to have conversations with staff that touches on issues like mental health, family, stresses etc. I don’t mean Directors should be come counsellors, but if staff that such topics are not stigmatised etc they will be more likely to bring them up before any more serious problems happen and Directors should have an idea of who they could signpost to support. I understand that there will be a tension between providing too much lax that staff misuse the openness and that’s why it’s a good idea to have professionals like us or others providing workshops or regular input to help support appropriate and effective interventions,