The Impact of Ill Health in the Workplace

“A healthy working environment is one in which there is not only an absence of harmful conditions, but an abundance of health-promoting ones”.

World Health Organization

When we consider the shocking statistics around ill health in the workplace we can draw a number of conclusions on the impact both to the employee and employer. In a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development study it was found that employees with a mental illness are not only likely to take long term absence, but are also more likely to get into conflict with colleagues, find it difficult to manage multiple tasks and to concentrate, take longer to do tasks and are generally less patient with those around them. So it makes absolute sense for an employer to promote and support good mental health and well-being, but to do this they require the right knowledge and skills.

However, There is a strong link between the culture of an organisation, a happy workforce and business success. A positive culture and working environment where employees can thrive and fully engage in their work is where people want to work, employees are more loyal and there is less stress, all of which boosts employee health and work performance. To create a positive culture, management need to promote positivity across the organisation so that employees feel valued, happy and positive themselves. Enabling time for employees to get to know each other through social interaction and encouraging them and managers to really listen to others is vital.

Workplace health and well-being strategies tend to have a common theme, which is a culture of openness and having someone to talk to who has a good awareness of stress and mental health issues. Key to this is not only the training of managers, and in many cases a designated support person, but also all staff so that they can identify risk factors and learn tips for improving their health. ACAS has a number of excellent guides on promoting mental health and reducing stress in the workplace, and they have also developed a Framework for Positive Mental Health at Work. Find out how Metropolitan Council reduced stress related absence by about a third in their first year of adopting a new approach to work related stress. The Bank Workers Charity took a blended learning approach to creating mentally healthy workplaces.

The economic case for employers providing support to promote and prevent mental health illnesses is made by London School of Economics and Political Science who found that for every £40 spent there is a saving of £347. Deloitte’s mental health research found that UK businesses could save £56 billion per year if they have better mental health support for employees. Of the 24% of 18 to 29 year olds who intentionally left their job in 2022, two thirds of them said it was driven by poor mental health. Managing Director of Deloitte UK said “Well-being must become a strategic priority for organisations of every size – not only to support employees experiencing anxiety and stress, but also to prevent people from becoming overwhelmed and overworked in the first place.  Leadership should set the tone at the top: continuing to invest in training to help managers and employees spot signs of poor mental health and understand how to reach their employees and help.”

Mental health training in the workplace can help in a number of ways:

1. Help employees to recognise and understand the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. This can lead to early diagnosis and treatment, which can improve outcomes for employees.
2. Help to reduce stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health problems. This can create a more supportive and inclusive workplace culture, which can benefit all employees.
3. Help employees to develop coping skills and resilience. This can help them to manage stress and anxiety, and to deal with difficult situations in a healthy way.
4. Improve employee productivity and engagement. Employees who are mentally healthy are more likely to be productive and engaged at work. This can lead to improved business performance.

Overall, mental health training is a valuable investment for any workplace. Also employees have the right to work in a safe and supportive environment and mental health training can help to create such an environment. It can help to improve the mental health of employees, reduce absenteeism, improve employee morale and engagement, reduce turnover, and improve business performance.

Author: Carolyn Lewis

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https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1900#Why%20is%20understanding%20and%20addressing%20mental%20health%20important?

https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/press-releases/articles/poor-mental-health-costs-uk-employers-up-to-pound-56-billion-a-year.html

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/8/9/Case_study_Addressing_mental_health_in_the_workplace_by_creating_a_culture_of_openness.pdf

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http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1900#Why%20is%20understanding%20and%20addressing%20mental%20health%20important?