Approximately one-fourth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) uncertain if their employees would discuss mental health concerns, as per a worldwide poll.
In a recent survey conducted across 79,000 businesses in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK, a disconnect between increased open discussions and lack of employee disclosure regarding mental health issues was highlighted by Bertrand Stern-Gillet, CEO at HA Wisdom Wellbeing.
The survey revealed that around one in five UK workplaces have a mental health first aider in place, with Canada and Ireland seeing the lowest increased rates of absences related to mental health. However, the findings also indicated that only 20% of employers globally offer mental health days in addition to annual leave, and that employees in Canada are least likely to speak up if they are struggling with their mental health.
The UK is leading the way when it comes to mental health support in the workplace. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been found to be highly effective in addressing mental health issues, as evidenced by data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 2024 report. The DWP's EAP offers psychological support including telephone and face-to-face counseling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and other therapies. In 2024, the program delivered over 10,700 counseling sessions, resulting in significant clinical improvements.
The UK also has a growing number of Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) in its workplaces, trained to recognize mental health symptoms and to signpost employees to appropriate support services. The DWP maintains a ratio of 1 MHFA per 50 employees and provides ongoing refresher training to maintain competency and consistency of support.
Globally, other support measures complement EAPs and MHFA programs to reduce mental health stigma and promote wellbeing in the workplace. These include absence reporting and early intervention, wellbeing initiatives beyond EAPs, employer-led awareness campaigns and training, and the use of technology.
Alan Price, Chief Operations Officer at Peninsula Group, stated that employers have a duty of care to safeguard the wellbeing of their people. However, Stern-Gillet questions if the measures implemented by employers for mental health are more than just a "tick box exercise". Fifty-one percent of respondents have no plans to introduce mental health support measures in the next 12 months, suggesting a need for fundamental education about mental health and its impact on work.
The data shows a potential impact of not implementing mental health support measures in the workplace. Employer comments suggest a need for a cultural shift towards openness and understanding about mental health, and for the integration of mental health into core health and safety frameworks. The trend is towards integrating mental health support into workplace culture and health & safety policies, showing promising outcomes in reducing stigma and improving employee mental health worldwide.
[1] Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 2024 EAP Report [2] Mental Health at Work Report, 2021 [3] Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 2021 [4] Mind, 2021
- The survey results indicate a significant gap between the increased open discussions about mental health and actual employee disclosure, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive science-backed workplace wellness strategies to prioritize health-and-wellness and mental health.
- The UK's leading mental health support programs, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), have demonstrated effectiveness in addressing mental health issues and improving employee wellbeing, highlighting the importance of incorporating mental health as a vital component of health-and-wellness programs in the workplace globally.