MENTAL HEALTH
UNDER PRESSURE
Businesses need to act fast to combat work-related stress amongst employees, says Mary Lawrence of international legal practice Osborne Clarke LLP.
Two thirds of people in the UK will experience a mental health problem within their lifetime according to the Mental Health Foundation. It is no secret that workplace stress is a major factor of an individual’s mental wellbeing, with a staggering 74% of people having felt so stressed at work that they were overwhelmed or unable to cope.
Businesses are starting to recognise the scale of the problem, with a recent study from the British Chambers of Commerce finding that a third of business leaders are reporting an increase in staff absences due to mental health issues over the past three years. Despite this, a worryingly small 20% of businesses feel confident that they can provide the appropriate support to staff struggling with their mental health.
There is an imminent need for businesses to reassess stress in the workplace. Stress, more often than not, takes centre stage as a common cause for mental health issues in the workplace and is one of the factors that businesses can prevent. Avoiding this problem is in a business’ interest. Unhappy workers coupled with a company without the necessary support infrastructure leads to an unproductive workforce – and an eventual downturn in business.
There is also the concern about the legal ramifications. Employees are able to bring both employment and personal injury claims against employers if they suffer mental ill health as a result of work. However, the issue is now firmly on the radar of the HSE as part of their remit as a workplace regulatory authority which could lead to a rise in criminal investigations and prosecutions in the worst examples. With the physical safety of employees having been a business focus now for some time, campaigns such as Mental Health Awareness Week are now trying to ensure that the mental wellbeing of staff receives equal consideration in the workplace.
How do businesses successfully tackle the issue of stress and provide a support platform for their workers?
Open communication is the most valuable approach. Talking to employees, or better yet providing
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professional support, will allow individuals to learn what external factors are contributing to mental health issues. Once these have been identified, action can be taken towards reducing these risks – such as workplace stress – and preventing other people facing the same challenges.
“There are fears growing amidst employees about what a hyper-
connected world will mean for their relationship with work.”
Companies need to ensure they have a roadmap in place, which details methods for reducing risks but also lays out how the company will deal with a risk appropriately. This should include the necessary actions that need to be taken, alongside relevant responsibilities. As organisations put more emphasis on the mental health of their workforce, it is clear that there is a need for any pre-existing wellbeing programmes to be adapted into the greater safety and health risk infrastructure.
The biggest challenge to overcome when considering stress in the workplace is the new age of connectivity. There are fears growing amidst employees about what a hyper-connected world will mean for their relationship with work and the potentially increased stress levels an ‘always-on’ culture could bring.
Similarly, we are seeing a rising demand for flexible working patterns. While these can be great for encouraging work-life balance, employees run the risk of not having clearly defined working hours, or locations, driving the ‘always on’ culture. Companies need to act fast to ensure they have measures in place to respond.
Put simply, a happy, healthy workforce is good for business. Organisations need to ensure they have a working environment that doesn’t raise stress levels, and that they regularly engage with employees to support their mental wellbeing.
http://www.osborneclarke.com/
www.tomorrowshs.com
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