Looking after mental health in workplace will help everyone

Published on Sunday 4 October 2009 22:15

IT IS well-known that one in four Scots will experience a mental health problem at some stage in their lives.

In the workplace, mental ill-health constitutes the single most important cause of sickness and absence from paid employment in the UK, accounting for around 60 million lost working days each year, at a cost of 4.5 billion a year to the national economy; 359 million of that in Scotland alone.

Given the current economic climate and the volume of redundancies in 2009, supporting positive mental health in the workplace is even more pertinent than before.

This week, as part of Scottish Mental Health Awareness Week, is the perfect time to look at doing something about it.

Research conducted earlier this year by anti-stigma campaign 'see me' found 37 per cent of Scots are still experiencing stigma in the workplace compared to 49 per cent in 2006, showing a slight decrease.

However, the reality is that more than a third of Scots with mental health problems are still being unfairly treated. More needs to be done to eradicate, not just reduce this figure.

The 2008 Public Attitudes Survey showed that pressure in the workplace is one of the factors which people feel most negatively affects their mental health.

More concerning is the fact one in 20 Scots said they experienced discrimination over a mental health problem in the workplace or had been refused a job on these grounds.

Workplace stigma is fuelled by misinformed attitudes, ignorance and fear. This affects employment opportunities, damages self-esteem and confidence and can ultimately prevent people from looking for work. The topic has moved up the agenda for employers, as growing research demonstrates the importance of mental health and well-being in relation to our physical health, social inclusion and productivity.

In 2003 the 'see me' pledge was launched. Signing the pledge demonstrates an organisation's commitment to unite under the umbrella of the national campaign to tackle stigma and discrimination.

With more than 200 signatories, such as BT Openreach, NHS Lothian and Lothian and Borders Police, it is viewed as a valuable opportunity for organisations to show their support for reducing stigma in the workplace and is a good starting point for action.

There are some basic adjustments companies can make to help create a mentally-healthy workplace.

Most important is creating an open culture where employees know that it's OK for them to talk about mental health. Implementing mental health to company policies and procedures and raising awareness can all help.

Solidarity and support among employees in times of unemployment and recession has obvious value.

As human beings we live for involvement and much of our identity is social, therefore, being ostracised or excluded in the workplace can be incredibly damaging.

It is in the interest of the employer to establish and maintain a mentally-healthy workplace – after all mental health affects both people and profits.

As part of Scottish Mental Health Awareness Week this week, we would like to encourage organisations to look after the mental health of their employees. Look out for colleagues who might be facing difficulties and be aware that isolation or absence isn't always the best solution to the problem.

&#149 Charlie McMillan, is chair of the 'see me' management group.