Mental Health
Rates of mental illness in the UK
Addressing mental health problems in the workplace is an essential component of creating a healthy working environment. One in six people in the UK will currently be experiencing problems with their mental health. [i]
Thirty per cent of employees will experience mental health problems during the course of a year. [ii] Despite this, two in three people underestimate the proportion of people who might experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. [iii] Due to the high numbers of people affected it is likely that most employers already employ someone with a mental health problem, although many may not require reasonable adjustments.
By taking a positive approach to dealing with mental health issues in the workforce, employers will create a more productive working environment for current employees whilst also reaching out to a wider talent pool.
How do these figures relate to employers?
Mental health problems are often experienced as isolated episodes, rather than a continuous period of illness. They can be triggered by particular life-events such as bereavement and as such can be experienced by anyone. This means that even if you have not experienced a mental health problem yourself, you will probably know someone that has.
Current action around World Mental Health day
A number of initiatives on mental health were announced to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The Government launched Action on Stigma, [vi] a three year initiative aiming to get employers to improve the way they deal with mental health in the workplace. Part of this will include consultation with employers about what support they need to meet objectives on inclusion and staff support.
Mental health charity Mind has also produced evidence of the beneficial effect of a healthy building environment on the mental health and well-being of employees. [vii] Alongside the positive benefits of providing a healthy workplace environment, a negative environment can damage the reputation of the employer. In the survey carried out by Mind, 26% of employees asked thought that their conditions in their office had negatively affected their mental health. [viii]
Disability Confidence and mental health
It is likely that virtually all employers already employ someone with a mental health problem. Mental health in the workplace is an issue for all employers. Being supportive as an employer will benefit both employees and employers alike.- 70% of people with mental health problems have been put off applying for jobs for fear of unfair treatment. [ix]
- This is despite 91% of people agreeing that people with mental health problems should have the same rights as everyone else. [x]
- It is estimated that nearly 10% of the UK GNP is lost to work-induced stress each year. [xi]
Better working conditions will not only lead to decreased number of absences but also improved interpersonal relations within the organisation. This is likely to contribute to higher levels of motivation and productivity among staff. Retention levels and responsiveness to management may also be improved, enhancing reputation as an employer. Investment in a diverse workforce should be a central policy for any good employer.
Employers' Forum on Disability Mental Health Learning Network
The Forum has set up a network of members to specifically look at what particular challenges to employers mental health issues pose and what action can be taken by employers to overcome barriers. One of the key themes to come out of this is a recognition that there is a cultural shift to expectations of recovery and keeping people in work, rather than excluding people experiencing mental health problems from the employment market.
The objective of the learning network is to engage organisations in dealing with these often complex issues and equipping them to be able to translate this work into solutions for staff. This is achieved through identifying commonly experienced barriers and sharing knowledge and best practice between organisations.
Sources
- [i] http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Factsheets/Statistics/Statistics+1.htm
- [ii] MIND, 'Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace', May 2005
- [iii] Health Promotion Agency, Northern Ireland, October 2006
- [iv] The Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health in the Workplace: Tackling the effects of stress, 1999
- [v] The One-Stop Guide to Managing Stress, Health & Safety Executive study, 2006
- [vi] www.shift.org.uk/employment.html
- [vii] www.mind.org.uk
- [viii] www.mind.org.uk
- [ix] T. Blackwell, P. Burns and S. Hardy (2001) Working Minds: Attitudes on mental health in the workplace, with proposals for change, The Industrial Society, London
- [x] Health Promotion Agency, Northern Ireland, October 2006
- [xi] Mind, Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace, May 2005
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