Mental Health - a reality check and the gap in the workplace
While two-thirds of people in work say their mental health is currently good, almost 90% have suffered with mental health problems at some point. These are the findings of our latest research into mental health in the UK.
We surveyed 500 employers and 2,000 employees to understand current attitudes towards mental health, and we made some striking discoveries.
We found stigma is still preventing people from talking about their mental health. Employees are still reluctant to be honest with their bosses about why they need sick leave. The fear of saying the wrong thing stops people from asking one another about their mental health. And most employees feel their employers aren’t treating mental health as a priority.
The list of mental health conditions employees are struggling with is less surprising. The top five most common issues are:
Despite some conditions affecting almost half of all working people, we found 35% of employees wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to their line managers about their mental health. It seems many people feel they need to suffer in silence.
The gap between employers and employees
Employers paint a very different picture. Stating that mental health is a priority, with three-quarters saying it’s as important as physical health. And the majority of leaders are investing in mental health support for their employees. But while employees feel they can’t be honest about their mental health, employers mostly feel as though their workplace culture around mental health is more open.
We found most employers feel they can spot the signs of an employee whose mental health is suffering. But, just like employees, fear of saying the wrong thing can stop managers from approaching their employees.
One of the major findings of our research is the difference between the mental health support employers say they offer and what employees think is available. This suggests that the messaging around mental health isn’t reaching people. And with many employers planning on investing more in mental health support, getting the communications right is essential.
Talking about mental health at work
When someone seems to be struggling, most people don’t feel confident enough to get involved. Only 38% of leaders say they could spot the signs of an employee struggling with their mental health. And only 61% have approached someone to ask about their wellbeing. More than half (55%) say they’re held back by:
Fear of saying the wrong thing.
Addressing someone the wrong way.
Accidentally offending or upsetting someone.
Helping you look after employee mental health
To help shine a light on mental health in UK workplaces, we’ve used our research to create a series of guides for employers. In each one, we explore the data in more detail and deep dive into the most significant findings to help employers better understand the state of the nation’s mental health and what they can do to help.
We have broken down the findings by geography, gender and age to highlight the differences and make the case for a tailored approach to mental health support. The guides provide practical tips and tools for employers to use to transform the culture around mental health in their organisations.
Start your journey here
We have filled these free guides with data and ideas to help businesses improve their mental health support. To get these guides, follow this link and get started today.
For more information on how to better look after your employees’ wellbeing, head over to our mental health workplace hub. You can also find out how to keep your workforce happy and healthy by signing up to our employee engagement newsletter.
Got a question and want to know more? Call us FREE on 0808 115 8156 today.
