Mental health in the workplace – time to change

Mental health in the workplace as an issue has reached unprecedented levels in terms of discussion, but are we really taking it seriously enough?

In this article, we consider the importance of good mental health, and the possible impacts of not giving it enough of the right attention.

The culture of mental health

Two years ago, in its report on Mental Health at Work, Business in the Community reported that 15% of people who declared a mental health issue faced a disciplinary, demotion or dismissal.

In its national mental employee wellbeing survey, 84% of employers agreed that they had a responsibility for the wellbeing of their people, and 91% of managers agreed that what they did affected the wellbeing of their staff, but less than a quarter had received any mental health training.

The report claims that there is still a pervasive culture of silence over mental health at work, and fears of prejudice and exclusion are limiting people in achieving their full potential at work.

This is not only bad for individuals, but clearly affects the performance of the organisation.