Mental Health & Wellbeing HR Case Study
Recent research has found that almost a third (31%) of UK employees stated that they would consider leaving their current role within the next 12 months if stress levels at work did not improve
The survey also found that:
Mental health issues (such as stress, depression or anxiety) are now the number one cause of sickness absence in the workplace, accounting for almost 70 million days off sick per year, costing companies an average of £605 per employee
Mental ill health left unsupported in the workplace costs UK employers £26 billion every year through reduced productivity, lower engagement, and increased employee turnover
Lower levels of wellbeing and mental health at work are directly linked to higher cases of conflict, bullying, grievances and claims of discrimination
60% of employees stated that they would feel more motivated and more likely to recommend their company as a good place to work if there was a policy in place to support mental health and wellbeing
Employees who have good mental health are more productive, and businesses who promote a mental health and wellbeing see a significant improvement in performance
The ultimate conclusion of the report is that employers should promote mental health & wellbeing activities in order to improve engagement and company performance. This also protects companies against costly tribunal claims such as this recent successful claim for disability discrimination linked to a mental health condition:
An employee suffered from a number of mental health impairments but did not inform her employer of these, despite being asked at interview why she had taken 30 days sickness absence from her previous job, and also completing a health questionnaire stating that she wasn’t aware of any impairment that would have an effect on her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities
The employee had a period of sickness absence for 52 days, and provided her employer with medical certificates from her GP and a hospital indicating she had issues with her mental health
The employee was eventually dismissed for her absence level and poor time keeping, she claimed discrimination arising from a disability at an employment tribunal
The tribunal upheld her claim, finding that the employer had ‘constructive knowledge’ of her disability as they’d been sent medical evidence that raised real questions about her mental health, but failed to follow up on it
They also found the company had acted inappropriately by dismissing her without considering any additional support they could have provided, such as referring her to Occupational Health
This highlights the importance of having an effective mental health & wellbeing policy and procedure that is fit for purpose, and will enable you to support employees with any wellbeing concerns
You can avoid situations like this with our FREE Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy and guidance notes for small UK businesses here.