- 1 in 6.8 people are experiencing mental health problems in the workplace (14.7%).
- Women in full-time employment are nearly twice as likely to have a common mental health problem as full-time employed men (19.8% vs 10.9%).
- Evidence suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions.
Mental health has been neglected and deprioritised throughout history. We are only just beginning to understand the complexity of our brains and how our mental health can affect every aspect of our daily lives and our understanding of mental health is changing. The importance of taking care of our mental health should not be overlooked.
Approximately 1/3 of our life is spent in the workplace, that is a whopping 90,000 hours! Therefore, it stands to reason that creating a toxic-free workplace environment which prioritises mental wellbeing and supports employees’ mental health is critical. It is no longer a perk to have mental health support for employees but a business necessity. The figures at the beginning of this article show that the problem is not small, with 1 in 6.8 people suffering from mental health issues in the workplace in the UK alone. These figures must be lowered, and employers must act and take responsibility for the health of their employees within the environment they have created.
What can companies do to redefine and support mental health?
First and foremost, it must be understood that mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. Just as with physical health, the absence of symptoms does not mean one is “healthy”. An individual that appears healthy with no symptoms must still eat well and exercise regularly to prevent health issues occurring in the future. The same must happen with mental health; we must ensure a healthy environment which promotes good mental wellbeing, addressing any underlying issues in order to maintain a good level of mental health, rather than “wait” for issues to manifest themselves.
Here at GW & Co, we are committed to supporting and maintaining the mental health of our workforce. We understand that mental health must be a priority for every individual, not just those where symptoms of a mental illness are overtly present. Moreover, we are aiming to destigmatise mental health as a topic and take a broader view on the role of the employer within this, creating a healthy, toxic-free workplace environment in which our employees can flourish. Additionally, we are taking the requisite steps to implement workplace measures and focus on solutions to support mental health wellbeing so that our employees can thrive professionally and personally.
Likewise, it is no secret that fostering a healthy environment for our employees will have a wider benefit for the company and more importantly our clients. Happy and healthy employees mean our clients will directly benefit from excellent customer service as our employees thrive.
We understand that mental health in the workplace as a topic and call to action is evolving and changing at a rapid pace and GW & Co are willing to adapt and evolve as new research is released and new supportive methods are suggested.
