06.11.19
Network Rail charity partner says workforce mental health is paramount
The Health and Safety Executive’s annual figures for Great Britain, the Managing Director of Mates in Mind, has urged employers to ensure that they are investing in their work force following a recent report.
Mates in Mind, who work in collaboration with the likes of Network Rail, Balfour Beatty and RSE Group, and many other organisations are a charity working in the UK. Their aim is to distribute information to employers on available support and guidance on mental health, mental illness and mental wellbeing.
This comes as the HSE reports the number of cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety, new or longstanding, in 2018/19 has remained at 600,000 cases the same as reported for 2017/18. Despite the figures not going up, this is still a huge amount of people suffering whilst in the work place.
The HSE has said that in 2018/19 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44% of all work-related ill health cases and 54% of all way working days lost due to ill health.
The report also found that participants stated workload pressures, including tight deadlines, too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support as the main factors causing work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Other factors included organisational changes at work, violence and role uncertainty.
James Rudoni, Managing Director of Mates in Mind said: “This latest report by the HSE further reinforces the importance of our charity’s aims to drive change across UK workplaces and immediately support employers to improve the mental health of their workforces. It is evident, acknowledging the rates of lost working days, that the sustainability and productivity of our businesses are being impacted by mental ill-health.
“Although we are encouraged to see that the number of cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety in the UK did not increase further over the last year, and have been pleased to witness and facilitate progressive developments of mentally healthy workplaces alongside our partner organisations- we recognise that there is still much work to be done.
“Mates in Mind understand that if organisations are to make meaningful changes and do more than pay lip service to the topic of mental health, they must address the harmful reaction people have to undue pressure and demands placed on them at work, and the impacts this has on their mental health.”