4 minute read
Health and Wellbeing
Poor mental health
triggers work-related illness
That’s the main conclusion from
new research from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
According to the HSE, more than 820,000 people experienced work-related stress, anxiety or depression during the period, with around 1.7 million workers in total suffering from a work-related illness in 2020-21. The study said 645,000 workers reported that their work-related illness was caused or made worse by the coronavirus pandemic; 70 per cent of these were cases of stress, depression or anxiety. A total of 93,000 workers reported catching COVID-19 at work, with 52,000 of them working in the human health and social work sector. Aside from the strains caused by COVID-19, rising workloads, lack of support, violence, threats or bullying and changes at work were all cited as causes of poor mental health at work. Sarah Albon, HSE’s chief executive, said: “The 12-month period in question coincides with the first national lockdown and the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. There have been significant impacts on the labour market, which is reflected in our reporting. “The latest figures on work-related stress reinforce our previous concerns around the scale of this issue in workplaces.” Andy Bell, deputy chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, said the findings were worrying but not surprising. He said: “The last two years have put people’s mental health under unprecedented pressure. Many people have experienced anxiety, trauma and loss as a result of the pandemic, and economic uncertainty is an added pressure for many more. “Employers can help to provide people with safe working conditions, in workplaces that are open about mental health and where help is at hand when it’s needed.” Emma Slaven, mental health and wellbeing senior business partner at Acas, said there were ways for employers and staff to support mental wellbeing at work. She said: “Whether people are working from home or back in the office, employers can proactively support staff by encouraging twoway conversations about health and wellbeing. They can also support their line managers with the skills to recognise the signs and have conversations with staff who are struggling. “Employees can also look after their own mental health by being open and honest with their line managers about their difficulties and taking steps to support their own wellbeing, including putting in work boundaries, making time for activities they enjoy and keeping active.” The research follows analysis by Glassdoor which found that employee burnout has doubled since lockdown ended, while a poll by Reassured found that more than a third of UK workers have felt more stressed since lockdown restrictions eased last year.
Stress, depression and anxiety were the cause of half of all work-related illness in the last year. ❛❛Whether people are
staff who are struggling.❜❜
Make employee wellbeing a priority
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Jo-Ann Spronk Founder & CEO at The Happy Mind Tribe
Employee Wellbeing is more important than ever, it has been shown to have a significant impact on both employee engagement, organisation culture and financial performance.
While 92% of senior executives believe that a strong company culture would increase their business’ value, just 16% state that their culture is where it should be. According to the most recent Deloitte Report published in 2020- Poor Mental Health costs UK employers a staggering £42-45bn each year.
No matter what your business does or how it operates, a culture that supports employee wellbeing remains a huge selling point. A positive workplace culture attracts talent, drives employee engagement, enhances performance and organisational commitment, improving job satisfaction, happiness, and wellbeing. Investing in employee wellbeing strategies can see an ROI of £5 for every £1 spent (5:1). However, there is a large spread of potential returns from 0.4:1 up to nearly 11:1. Interventions with the highest returns tend to focus on preventative large scale initiatives, and on using technology or diagnostics to tailor support for those most in need. The Happy Mind Tribe is a purpose driven holistic employee wellbeing company. Through our expert-led wellbeing consultancy and training programmes, we inspire, educate, and empower organisations, partnering with them to make workplace wellbeing a strategic business priority. Our clients include both public and private sector organisations across a wide range of industries.
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