In recent years (and prior to the coronavirus pandemic), the rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety had shown signs of increasing. The current rate is in fact higher than the 2018/19 pre-coronavirus levels, with 17 million working days lost (LFS) and a cost to the UK economy at least ￡117.9 billion per annum (London School of Economics). It's not surprising to learn then, that 76% of employees believe their company should be doing more to protect the mental health of their workforce. The following steps (collated here by communications experts NewZapp) can help companies to build a culture that better supports employees with their mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing is complex. For you to provide effective mental healthcare it is likely that you will need support from professionals. This could be: 1. Trained mental health first aiders within your organisation. 2. An external mental healthcare support scheme provided by a professional body. 3. Signposts to charities and helplines. In many cases, all three of the above may be the best option. Alongside these support networks you also need a clear mental health policy. Your employees need to know that you take mental health seriously and hold significant importance over their wellbeing.
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