The Mental Health Foundation reports that 12.7% of all sick days in the UK come from mental health conditions. With 1 in 6 people experiencing mental health issues at any one time, it is more important than ever that the workplace treats all health conditions the same.
Suffering from mental health problems such as depression, anxiety or stress can lead to reduced performance in the workplace and in turn further stress on the individual. With good support from companies, employees can feel comfortable discussing how they are feeling and get the help they need faster. In turn, the business will perform best when all employees are happy and healthy.
Supporting an employee through any mental health issues says a lot about the company and culture, but also allows you to keep a valued member of staff, after all, you employed them for a reason. A supportive and open culture must be created to allow employees to feel they can ask for help when needed.
According to Open Access Government 40% of employees would be uncomfortable if they had to tell their manager that they needed time off for mental health reasons. It is often the case that when time off is needed for this reason, they will hide the real issue and try to get back to work as quickly as possible. This inevitably leads to further absence and reduced focus on their work. By creating a culture where mental health does not carry any stigma, employees will be able to discuss any issues and you can support them with adjustments to their working day.
The recommended advice can, of course, vary depending on the severity of the employee's mental health and the issues they are facing. Still, where possible you should be flexible with their requirements. Here are some ideas on how you could support your staff in the event of any mental health problems:
Mental health-related absence cost the UK economy nearly £35 billion last year as reported by the Centre for Mental Health. By removing any stigma from your workplace and creating an open comfortable culture, employees will feel more able to talk early on in any issues they face. Intervention and flexibility from the start can help with faster recovery and ultimately a quicker return to the workplace.