Mark Lyttleton is a business mentor, angel investor and professional speaker. In addition to providing business owners with strategic and financial support, Mr Lyttleton often provides personal advice, helping founders deal with the pressures of running their business. Mark Lyttleton is an advocate of mental health services, helping businesses of all sizes to establish support structures. This article looks at the impact of mental health in the workplace, exploring ways to promote a positive work environment and support staff with mental health problems.
According to an OECD report, mental illness is a growing problem which increasingly affects workplace wellbeing and productivity. You can learn more about workplace mental health statistics by viewing the attached infographic.
Workers’ mental health can have a significant impact on their ability to perform well at work. Research from the Mental Health Foundation suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence in the United Kingdom is attributable to mental health conditions. What’s more, women in full-time employment are almost twice as likely to experience a common mental health problem compared with their male counterparts, or at least admit to it. To learn more about the toll that poor mental health takes on UK industry, view the attached PDF.
As indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health plays an important role in achieving global development goals. According to WHO, depression is one of the leading causes of disability today. WHO also cites suicide as the second leading cause of death of 15 to 29-year-olds, explaining that people with severe mental health conditions die prematurely, their lives cut short by as much as two decades, due to preventable physical conditions. You can find out more about the benefits of good mental health by viewing the attached video.
In the United Kingdom, employees have a wide range of legal protections and rights to protect their mental health at work. These vary from freedom of association, freedom of expression and other basic human rights, to health and safety legislation designed to keep workers safe from hazards, including psychological harm.
Businesses can support the mental health of employees via a variety of different channels. Chief among them is creating a supportive environment where workers feel safe to talk openly about their mental health. The Acas website provides a wealth of information and resources for employers eager to create a positive mental health framework, from supporting an employee with signs of a mental health issue to providing training and other support.