Are you okay? A simple question can make a huge difference with one in six workers experiencing a mental health problem at any one time, and stress thought to be responsible for almost half of working days lost in Britain due to health issues, the relationship between mental health and the workplace is a complex one. Even more so with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and large proportions of workforces working from home.
According to a recent report published by Deloitte, poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year. This is a rise of 16% since 2016 – an extra £6 billion a year. The total cost of poor mental health as a proportion of average earnings in the North East is the third highest in the regions at 6.1%. The highest is Yorkshire and the Humber at 6.3%. The lowest is in the North West at 5.55%. London is 6.1%.
The research also looks at how employers can tackle this problem, finding that it pays to support employees mental health. On average, for every £1 spent on supporting their peoples mental health, employers get £5 back on their investment in reduced presenteeism, absenteeism and staff turnover.
David Hicks, tax director and mental health champion at Deloitte in the North East, as well as husband and dad said: “As our ways of working evolve, so do expectations of employers about how we should support our people. “This analysis shows very clearly that it pays for employers to provide mental health support at work and that early intervention is vital, for those experiencing poor mental health and employers alike.
In the North East, the total cost of poor mental health as a proportion of average earnings is likely to be the third highest in the regions as overall the salaries are lower. However, this makes hard reading for the region and shows there is work to be done by employers to support employees.
At Deloitte, we are running an internal Are You Okay? campaign aimed at creating a more open culture and breaking down barriers to reaching out through helping staff to identify signs of poor mental health in others and offer support. The firm also became a signatory of the mental health at work commitment in October 2019 in addition to signing the Time to Change pledge in October 2013.”
An essential focus when navigating the COVID-19 pandemic is to recognise the impact that uncertainty is having on the people that drive the organisation. At such times, emotional intelligence is critical. Its important for business leaders to express empathy and compassion for the human side of the upheavalfor example, acknowledging how radically their employees personal priorities have shifted away from work to being concerned about family health, accommodating extended school closures, and absorbing the human angst of life-threatening uncertainty.
Now more than ever, it is important to be fully supportive of agile working and trust that our people are able to complete their work around any commitments they have. Although it is imperative to have the technology and capabilities in place to enable our people to work remotely and securely, it is also important to recognise that in these unprecedented times some of our people may need to work in an agile way to support their family and friends.
