Mental Health and the workplace

March 2010

Prepared by

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Who do you see?

• 37 per cent of people would be unhappy if their close relative married someone with a mental health condition

• Only 40 per cent of people think that people with a mental health condition are suitable to be Primary School teachers

Time to Change?

• 92 per cent of people believe that admitting to having a mental illness would damage someone’s career

• 56 per cent of people would not employ someone they knew had depression from time to time

Employees attitudes

• 58 per cent had to leave a job because of lack of mental health support

• 31 per cent had been sacked or forced out of a job after disclosing a mental health problem

• 26 per cent demoted after disclosing a mental health problem

• 1 in 4 had job offers withdrawn after disclosing a mental health problem

(Mind website survey October 2008)

What is mental ill health?

• depression• bipolar disorder• schizophrenia• obsessive compulsive disorder• self-harm• eating disorders

Mental Health and the workplace

Quiz

Facts versus the myths around staff with mental health conditions in the workplace

www.shift.org.uk/employers

In a recent study when asked ‘What percentage of your employees do you think will have a mental health problem at some point during their working lives?’, 70% of the employers surveyed said that

A. Between 0-5% employees will

B. Between 5-10% employees will

C. Between 10-20% employees will

Question 1

In a recent study when asked ‘What percentage of your employees do you think will have a mental health problem at some point during their working lives?’, 70% of the employers surveyed said that

A. Between 0-5% employees will

B. Between 5-10% employees will

C. Between 10-20% employees will

Question 1

What percentage of employers thought that none of their staff will suffer from a mental health problem during their working life?

A.5%

B.15%

C.45%

Question 2

What percentage of employers thought that none of their staff will suffer from a mental health problem during their working life?

A.5%

B.15%

C.45%

Question 2

What percentage of employees are in fact suffering from some kind of mental health problem at work?

A.2.4%

B.5%

C.22.3%

Question 3

What percentage of employees are in fact suffering from some kind of mental health problem at work?

A.2.4%

B.5%

C.22.3%

Question 3

Mental ill health is now the;

A.Second largest cause of time lost due to sickness absence in organisations in the UK

B.Fourth

C.Eighth

Question 4

Mental ill health is now the;

A.Second largest cause of time lost due to sickness absence in organisations in the UK

B.Fourth

C.Eighth

Question 4

Approximately how much does mental ill health at work cost an employer each year?

A.£500 for every employee

B.£1000 for every employee

C.£1500 for every employee

Question 5

Approximately how much does mental ill health at work cost an employer each year?

A.£500 for every employee

B.£1000 for every employee

C.£1500 for every employee

Question 5

Good management of mental health at work including prevention and early identification can bring this cost down by as much as

A.10%

B.20%

C.30%

Question 6

Good management of mental health at work including prevention and early identification can bring this cost down by as much as

A.10%

B.20%

C.30%

Question 6

Impaired performance of people who continue to work whilst mentally unwell costs employers nationally approximately;

A.5 million/year

B.15 million/year

C.15 billion/year

Question 7

Impaired performance of people who continue to work whilst mentally unwell costs employers nationally approximately;

A.5 million/year

B.15 million/year

C.15 billion/year

Question 7

What percentage of managers have received training on mental health awareness?

A.13%

B.26%

C.36 %

Question 8

What percentage of managers have received training on mental health awareness?

A.13%

B.26%

C.36 %

Question 8

What percentage of senior managers are aware they have a policy on mental health and feel that it is effective in doing what it is intended to do?

A.3%

B.33%

C.63%

Question 9

What percentage of senior managers are aware they have a policy on mental health and feel that it is effective in doing what it is intended to do?

A.3%

B.33%

C.63%

Question 9

• Most people with mental health conditions are in paid employment and are almost as likely to be working as anyone else

• Employers should expect to find that at any one time nearly one in six of their workforce is affected by a mental health condition

Why is mental health a workplace issue?

• 91 million days are lost each year due to mental health conditions

• The combined costs of sickness absence, non-employment, effects on unpaid work and output losses in the UK is £26 billion a year.

• After taking six months sickness absence, only 50 per cent of employees return to work

Why is action needed in the workplace?

• Make your workplace a safe place where colleagues can discuss, disclose and ask for help

• Do this by:– Creating an effective mental health policy– Training staff– Building awareness through a workplace

campaign

What employers can do

• Help to prevent mental ill health – by early detection and intervention through raising awareness by directed communication and tackling attitudes and behaviour.

• Help to recognise that work is good for mental health.

• Ensure provision of services for those affected by mental ill health by fully utilising existing workplace policies, and by establishing a range of support as an employer and service provider.

Why a policy?

• BT doesn’t reject job applications on grounds on mental illness

• Mental health sickness absence is down by 30 per cent

• stress claims have been reduced dramatically• 75 per cent of long term absentees return to

their own job • Medical retirement rate for mental illness is

down by 80 per cent

Case study: BT

• Staff turnover is down from 30.1per cent in 2005 to 23.3 per cent in 2006

• The staff survey result for recommending Bradford & Bingley as a place to work has increased from 45 per cent in 2005 to 72 per cent in 2006

• Bradford & Bingley's stress absence rate is down 80%, which is estimated to have saved £250,000 in lost wages alone

• There has also been about a 1% increase in productivity at no cost

Case study:Bradford and Bingley

Any questions?

Further information

www.equalityhumanrights.com/yourbusiness

jennifer.dunne@equalityhumanrights.com

• 029 20447710