According to new research by the CIPD, the number of people saying that they have experienced mental health issues while in employment has climbed from a quarter to a third over the last five years. Despite this, the majority of employees still donโt feel that people experiencing mental health issues are supported well enough at work.
In response, the CIPD is calling on organisations to take a more preventative approach to employeesโ mental wellbeing, encouraging a culture of openness in their workplace while training line managers to provide and signpost support for employees in order to create healthier, more engaged and more productive workplaces.
The new research from the CIPD found that in 2016, almost a third (31%) of the more than 2000 employees surveyed said they have experienced a mental health problem at some point during their working life, compared with a quarter (26%) in 2011. Of those who have had poor mental health at work, more than four in 10 (42%) have experienced a problem in the past 12 months, to the extent it has affected their health and wellbeing.
Despite this increase, the number of respondents who say their organisation supports employees with mental health issues either โveryโ or โfairly wellโ remains less than half (46%). While this is a significant improvement of nine percentage points since 2011 โ when just 37% of respondents said their organisation was able to support employees either fairly or very well โ it highlights that there is still a significant way for employers to go to better support staff with mental health issues. Worryingly, just four in 10 employees (44%) would currently feel confident disclosing unmanageable stress or mental health problems to their current employer or manager, a similar proportion as reported five years ago (41%).
Rachel Suff, Employment Relations Adviser at the CIPD comments: โWith peopleโs experiences of mental health problems at work on the increase, itโs disappointing not to see more employers stepping up to address them. Mental health should get just as much attention, awareness and understanding as physical health, and employers have a responsibility to manage stress and mental health at work, making sure employees are aware of, and able to access, the support available to them.
โThis agenda needs to be championed from the very top by business leaders and senior staff โ either through role-modelling or open conversations about their own experiences. Thereโs also a clear role for HR professionals and line managers to ensure that employees are getting the support they need and feel they can speak up. Itโs crucial that organisations work to promote an open and inclusive culture so that employees feel confident about disclosing mental health issues and discussing the challenges they are experiencing. Promoting good mental health also makes good business sense, as employees are likely to be more engaged and productive if they work for an organisation with a workforce wellbeing strategy that emphasises the importance of both good mental and physical health.โ
The CIPDโs survey also asked employees what types of support their employer currently provides to manage and help people with mental health problems. The most common provisions were phased return to work (32%), access to flexible working arrangements (30%), access to occupational health services (27%) and access to counselling services (27%). The least common provisions were mental health first aiders (3%), mental health champions (5%), and training for line managers in managing and supporting people with mental health problems (10%).
Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at mental health charity Mind said: โItโs clear that thereโs a high prevalence of mental health problems among employees. Itโs good to see more people feeling comfortable enough to let their workplace know when theyโre struggling with their mental health, which is likely to be an indication that employers are fostering an open culture where staff feel able to disclose their problems. However, itโs vital that employers also have good support in place for all staff, including those experiencing unmanageable stress or poor mental health. Employees need to be reassured that if they do put their hands up, theyโll be met with understanding and additional support if necessary.
โCreating mentally healthy workplaces neednโt be difficult or expensive; often itโs about putting in place small adjustments, such as regular communication and flexible working hours. Being able to identify and support a colleague struggling with poor mental health can also make a big difference, which is why Mind delivers mental health awareness training to line managers. Weโre also launching a Workplace Wellbeing Index โ a benchmark of best policy and practice which will enable employers to recognise the good work theyโre doing when it comes to promoting good mental health at work, as well as highlighting areas for improvement.โ
The CIPD recommends three important ways that line managers can make a difference:
1 At the beginning of a new working relationship, be clear that no problem is too big, small, or personal for an employee to raise.
2 Work to create a culture of openness and encourage staff to discuss their challenges. Make time to have conversations that go beyond a personโs immediate and short-term workload and discuss their role, responsibilities and opportunities more generally.
3 Know when and how to direct people to access specialist help either internally through the organisation, such as counselling and/or occupational health services, or externally via mental health groups and charities.
