Poor mental health in the workplace is a growing concern in the UK, with alarming trends in stress burnout and absenteeism. Nearly half of all work-related ill-health cases a year stem from stress, anxiety and depression, accounting for 16.4 million lost working days. Given all that we have had to deal with since the turn of the decade, particularly the pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis and now significantly heightened fears of conflict fed through various news channels, it’s perhaps not surprising that uncertainty, weariness and anxiety is now common place, and these trends are especially concerning amongst young people.

The UK has had a longstanding productivity problem, and these trends are now proving conclusive evidence that, for the first time since the industrial revolution, poor health is detracting from both growth and wellbeing.

However, tackling these issues is far from simple as employees often face significant challenges in sharing their mental health concerns with managers, believing that they will be judged as weak and unreliable with potential job and career implications. This culture still persists in many workplaces making employees reluctant to raise issues, with poor relationships between managers and employees exacerbating these barriers, often leaving employees feeling unsupported.

This reluctance not only prevents employees seeking the help they need but, continues the cycle of stress and burnout, with clear evidence that this impacts on organisational performance. Creating a culture in the workplace where employees feel supported and able to raise mental health issues and concerns is a critical step in fostering a healthier and, more productive, working environment. This can involve a wide-ranging occupational health programme driven from the very top of the organisation and where all managers have a buy in.

Whether your organisation subscribes to ISO 45003 or not, this standard provides a useful framework for organisations to benchmark performance. Make UK can audit your systems to help you understand how well you are managing mental health in the workplace. Contact us at [email protected] if this is of interest to you.

Establishing a culture of trust and empathy, supported by clear policies and resources, enables employees to feel valued and secure. This not only benefits individual wellbeing, but also enhances general morale, retention rates and overall business performance.

In particular, managers play a vital role in mitigating the possible effects of mental ill-health and, by undergoing training, they can develop the skills and confidence to identify early signs of distress. This will enable them to provide appropriate support and encourage open communication.

Mental Health First Aider training teaches people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis. 

A recent CIPD study and the University of Nottingham found strong correlations between line manager training and positive organisational outcomes. Deloitte has estimated that every pound invested in mental health programmes resulted in nearly five pounds of savings. So, all the evidence suggests that making such investments benefits individuals and business performance.

This month saw World Mental Health Day, which provides a vital focus on this increasingly important issue. As well as Government, employers have a critical role to play of reversing the trend of mental ill health getting worse and the increased costs to business and individuals this will bring.

The message is clear: Investing in the wellbeing of your staff and, providing managers with the resources to make them feel valued and supported is just as important, if not more so, than any other form of business investment.