Why Mental Health Should be Addressed in the Workplace

Mental health is a topic of conversation that is being brought up in most workplaces across the UK, thanks to the introduction of mental health first aid. With Mental Health Awareness Week approaching this month, we’re exploring why business leaders should think about making mental health a priority in the workplace.

The environment in which you work can have a huge impact on your mental health, which in turn, has an impact on how well you do your job. According to a study by Mind, 1 in 5 people had called in sick from work due to workplace stress and 42% of people had considered resigning from their job.

Mental Health: The Facts

Worryingly, many workplaces are still ignoring employee well-being, despite the increasing number of people suffering from stress and mental health issues. Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year, with bigger workloads and faster-paced environments taking their toll.

Recent statistics show that more women are affected by mental illness than men: 1 in 5 women have reported experiencing a mental illness, compared to 1 in 8 men.

Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace

HSE defines stress as: ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.’ Stress and work-related issues can also trigger mental health problems – the most common being Anxiety and Depression.

Over 15.4 million working days are lost each year to stress, anxiety and depression, costing the UK economy £35billion.

Some business leaders in the UK are now calling for mental health first aid to be regarded as important as physical first aid, hoping to break the stigma about mental illness in the workplace. With the help of Mental Health First Aid England, some progress has been made in raising awareness about mental illness in the workplace, training over 2.6 million people so far.

Understanding mental health and the implications that this can have on your staff will allow you to provide a safer work-space to protect your employees. It is also important that those suffering with mental health problems at work are able to communicate with their employers, enabling them to progress and achieve their full potential in their job.

Join The Conversation

Have your say about whether mental health awareness should be made more of a priority in the workplace by tweeting us @ImpTraining.