Some 64% of UK employers have reported a rise in workforce absenteeism due to mental health issues, according to a new survey.
Professional services consultancy Barnett Waddingham’s survey of 301 UK HR directors and c-suite business leaders in UK companies also found that 73% of business leaders said their organisation was ‘well-prepared’ to manage their employees’ mental health concerns.
However, fewer than half of these businesses were collecting ‘comprehensive’ data on mental health conditions impacting their employees. Barnett Waddingham said this highlights significant gaps in understanding the full scope of the issue.
The rise in absenteeism due to mental health issues affected employees across all age groups, with younger employees – those aged 25-34 – most affected.
Around 41% of these businesses have responded by increasing spending on mental health support, while 28% had boosted training around mental health challenges.
However, less than half actively collected data on incidences of anxiety (44%), depression (44%) and stress-related disorders (46%). Barnet Waddingham said this means many leaders “are operating in the dark” when it comes to conditions that may impact mental wellbeing at work, with this lack of data collection hindering efforts to accurately assess the scope of the problem, identify employees at risk and implement effective support measures.
Julia Turney, partner of platform and benefits, Barnett Waddingham, said: “Business leaders are operating with naïve optimism that they have the right systems and processes in place to support their staff, but they’re working blind – they don’t have the visibility of data or metrics needed to make change.”
She added: “Employers are a critical part of the ecosystem, and without accurate insights into workforce challenges, effective solutions are impossible. By implementing robust data capture and analysis of time off sick, causation and benefit impact, organisations can better understand and improve employee wellbeing for the long-term.”
In terms of usage for mental health services, 69% of business leaders believed these services were most utilised by employees aged 25-34.
Mental health issues were most prominently observed in this younger cohort, with 51% of business leaders reporting a significant impact among employees in this age group, compared to decreasing concerns among older workers.
Looking ahead, 40% of businesses said that they see strengthening mental health support programmes as a key strategic priority, with 38% of businesses planning to implement mental health support programmes. Others were adopting phased returns to work (34%) and offering greater flexibility in working arrangements (31%).
“Business leaders are operating with naïve optimism that they have the right systems and processes in place to support their staff, but they’re working blind – they don’t have the visibility of data or metrics needed to make change.”
Julia Turner, Partner and Head of Platform & Benefits, Barnett Waddingham
