Almost 30% of businesses have seen an increase in the number of
staff taking time off for mental health reasons, according to a
survey conducted by leading business organisation British Chambers
of Commerce, and Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer.
One in three (33%) business leaders have also noticed an increase
in the length of time that staff are taking off due to mental
health issues.
The survey, of over 1,000 business leaders from every region and
nation of the UK, suggests that firms are more aware than ever of
mental health concerns in the office, and that the topic is
becoming less taboo for both employees and employers alike.
The findings suggest that employers are supporting staff with
mental health issues, from reviewing individual workloads (36%)
and flexible working options (35%), to organising counselling for
staff (20%) and training for managers to better support staff
(18%).
However, the findings also suggest that firms could do more.
Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed said that they did not access
occupational health support for their staff from external bodies,
and 10% were not aware of any available support.
Adam Marshall, BCC Director General, said:
“As the world of work changes, it is absolutely crucial for
business leaders to pay ever closer attention to the health and
wellbeing of their employees – especially at a time when firms
are facing severe challenges finding and retaining the skilled
staff they need.
“While legions of firms are now more aware of mental health
concerns and acting accordingly, far too many businesses are
still turning a blind eye to this issue, which saps productivity,
morale and individual wellbeing. Our message today is that it is
no longer acceptable for firms to ignore mental health in the
workplace, and all companies need to step up their game.
“Tackling mental health concerns in business need not break the
bank. Reviewing workloads, considering flexible working
practices, and improving the skills of managers are simple
measures that can help all firms build a happier and more
productive workforce.”
Dr Doug Wright, medical director at Aviva,
added:
“It is encouraging to see that more businesses are not only more
aware of the topic of mental health in the workplace but also
actively offering initiatives like flexible working options to
help encourage a healthy work-life balance.
“It is, however, worrying to see almost a third of businesses
have seen an increase in people taking time off for mental health
reasons and whilst some of this increase may be down to staff
feeling more able to discuss the issue of mental health which is,
in itself, good news, it also suggests that more can be done to
help.
“Looking at our claims data for protection insurance we know that
mental health conditions are the number one reason for
rehabilitation referrals, and that early intervention by experts
can bring a huge benefit to employees, helping them make a safe
and timely return to work.
“It is therefore important to look at what health and wellbeing
initiatives are on offer to staff to make sure they have a
breadth of options to support them. Doing so will reap rewards
for both employee and employer. We believe in this so much it’s
something we are doing for our own staff already.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
The British Chambers of Commerce surveyed 1,020 businesses from
all regions of the UK online from 1-11 May, 2018.
