I worked at Goldman Sachs – I know what ‘burnout’ looks like

Rishi Sunak’s government is stigmatising mental health and dehumanising people into numbers and cost – just as the corporate world has done with key performance indicators and quotas, writes former Goldman global recruiting director Ian Dodd. They are effectively burying the bodies and hiding the true extent of suffering

With tone-deaf ignorance, Mel Stride has suggested mental health is being confused with the ‘normal anxieties of life’ (Getty)

Despite all the progress we’ve seemingly made, mental health recognition is in a dire state. Taboos shifted or not, awareness increased or not, suffering is still disregarded – and ignorance, across industry and government, is still sadly a status quo. We must shift our attitude to mental health; we must move towards a new era of care, sympathy, and, most importantly, accountability.

Like so many others – approximately one billion people as of 2019, at least – I’ve experienced mental health conditions. I used to work at Goldman Sachs, where I experienced a dysfunctional culture that I found to bring unsustainable hours, unreasonable demands and burnout. I’ve since issued legal proceedings against the company. In response, Goldman have said I was the problem – that I was responsible for working excessive hours and that my claims are without merit.

From what I have seen, in financial services especially, chest-beating alpha males and the ever-unhelpful “get on with it” attitudes have suppressed any meaningful progress. As if the many tragedies and suicide attempts shouldn’t be cause enough, accountability for staff is still elusive.

It seems that firms – banks, legal giants, and so on – would sooner hide behind the distracting green bunting of Mental Health Awareness Week than shift their view of their staff and provide genuine, concerted support.

Of course, that’s just the private sector: as highlighted by the recent Sexism in the City report, culture seems to be a perennial issue – and one that will unfortunately not be fixed anytime soon, despite pressure from the Financial Conduct Authority. But does the government fare any better? Apparently not.

Mel Stride has set the position clear. With tone-deaf ignorance, Stride has suggested mental health is being confused with the “normal anxieties of life”. Under the shadow of the UK’s turgid welfare bill, he believes mental health “risks going too far” – and has acted on this delusion by threatening the removal of sickness benefits from those with depression and anxiety.

Rishi Sunak, in spineless fashion, has followed in his footsteps and penalised mental health conditions as part of his cuts to benefits.

I’m no campaign manager or special adviser, but I do know that aligning your party and government with the mental health crisis is hardly a vote winner. Delusion, ignorance and stupidity aside, their position is incredibly misguided.

Work is just one of many salient factors that determine a person’s wellbeing. What their simplistic view ignores is that not all work is “good” – it doesn’t account for unsustainable deadlines, toxic work environments and the prevalence of harassment and bullying.

A “mild” mental health condition, as Sunak puts it, can quickly degenerate into a severe one. It’s obtuse to assume mental health is static – if you do, you risk forcing vulnerable people into hostile environments and leading them down a path they may never emerge from.

By taking this approach, the government dehumanises people into numbers and cost – just as the corporate world has done with key performance indicators and quotas.

They are effectively burying the bodies. They are hiding the true extent of suffering. They are displaying a completely blasé, unsympathetic attitude to people.

In roughly two weeks’ time, green will be the colour of office lobbies, bridges and cafeterias alike. Companies and government departments will be awash with PRs extolling the importance of mental health and the critical need for support. For a five-day period, all is forgotten. Mental health regains its clout. It finally seems to be taken seriously.

But we all know it’s insincere. Green balloons cannot cover up the realities of harm and injury that occur in these workplaces. A colour cannot wipe your record clean.

Ever since I filed my personal injury claim, among the inevitable trolls and abuse, I’ve been contacted by many others who have experienced similar levels of harm. They have bravely come from the shadows to share their stories, no matter the risks involved.

The short-term ceasefire that Mental Health Awareness Week brings is unacceptable. Those harmed deserve justice. Those harming must be held accountable.

Whether in this government or the next – and given their current stance, I’d go with the latter – we must ensure all organisations disclose data that will make them accountable for their employees’ mental health. This includes the usage and performance of their mental health services, suicide deaths, surveys – and even feedback from employee check-ins.

Corporations across the country are sitting on reams of evidence that could enact real change. We must incentivise them to prioritise the wellbeing of their workforce.

As HSBC’s chief Noel Quinn is heading for the door, now is the right time. At this critical juncture, HSBC could be the forerunner of cultural progress – and light the touchpaper for a mental health revolution in financial services.

But if we don’t make this shift, if we don’t force organisations to value the wellbeing of their workforce, the culture of harm will continue. We’ll continue to talk the talk and not walk the walk. We’ll remain everyday bystanders to harm.

Ian Dodd is a former managing director of global recruiting for Goldman Sachs and a leading activist for workplace reform