The results are in; the second biggest challenge facing employers is mental health and it’s time to start talking
Recently published results from The UK Workplace Wellbeing Study have found mental health to be the second biggest challenge set to face employers within the next five years. With a quarter of workplace absences due to mental ill-health, costing employers an estimated £26 billion per year, there’s no time like the present to start acknowledging the importance of your employees’ wellbeing, and the huge impact it has on your business.
In-fact, mental health issues are more common than most think. Every-week around 6.5 million adults in the UK will suffer a common mental health problem, including anxiety and depression. Unsurprisingly, these feelings can reflect on to a person’s job performance. As well as affecting their judgement, ability to work with others and productivity, it can lead to an inability to fully concentrate which can often cause costly mistakes or accidents in the workplace. The link between mental wellbeing and your organisation’s success is enormous. It’s not only mental health conditions that are impacting your business but also workplace stress. Together these conditions are the biggest occupational health problem in the UK, making them the main cause of employee absence.
To put it into the bigger picture, your employee’s wellbeing and mental health can in-turn affect workforce productivity, staff turnover, reputation, customer service and the cost of sick days – so, you could say it’s pretty important.
In contrast to this, good mental health works as an asset to a business, helping employees to thrive. Businesses should not only aim to reduce mental health problems, but also encourage positive mental health throughout the organisation.
There are proven benefits of improving your ever-so-valued employees’ mental wellbeing, with happy employees being a whopping 12% more productive, it’s in everyone’s best interests to identify with your employee needs and create the appropriate working environment. Your empathy and consideration towards your employees will not go unappreciated, 90% of Millennials say they’re more likely to stay with their company if they believe the organisation identifies with their needs.
Mental Health First Aid England offers many Mental Health First Aid courses where people can learn vital skills including spotting the symptoms of mental health conditions in the workplace and how to offer initial help and guidance. Everyone who completes the course will be certified as a Mental Health First Aider and will get an MHFA manual to keep and refer to whenever they need it.
Wellington Place offers many wellbeing initiatives, including the workplace choir, Wellington Pacers running club, knitting club, book club and more!
