Mental Health and the workplace March 2010 Prepared by Equality and Human Rights Commission

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• 1 in 4 had job offers withdrawn after disclosing a mental health problem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