A recent survey concluded that sickness and absence rates across UK companies in 2021 were the highest they have been since 2009. And with an annual average cost of £781 per employee hitting the employer in the pocket due to sick pay and lost productivity, this is clearly an issue that needs resolving.
But what is causing this spike in absence? And what can we do about it? The answer might just be close to home. And by home, we’re talking about the workplace. Of course, Covid has to take some of the blame, but the conversation surrounding mental health and wellbeing has never been more important than it is right now as the nation struggles with not just the aftermath of a global pandemic, but a very real cost of living crisis that’s pushing some families to breaking point.
A joint report by Simplyhealth and CIPD showed that “76% of respondents report some form of stress-related absence from their place of work – this figure increases to 90% in larger organisations.”
This would strongly suggest that many companies need to take a look at their employee mental wellbeing strategy and do more to support mental health at work. The good news is that it is achievable, and a few relatively simple measures and processes could make a big difference.
Is your organisation doing enough to support employees?
So how can you ensure that your place of work is doing everything it can to support your employees, particularly as so many businesses are seeing absenteeism and resignation rates skyrocket?
If employee stress, burnout and disengagement are affecting your company’s productivity, positivity and bottom line it’s time to formulate a strategic approach to caring more about your people.
Part of this strategy should be ensuring that your employees know that conversations about mental health at work are encouraged. If you don’t already have one, create a safe space where your team know that they are always welcome to discuss any issues they might be struggling with, as well as provide the support and solutions they need to cope.
Removing the stigma of talking about mental wellbeing is crucial. Your people need to know that it’s not taboo to talk about how they feel or to reveal that they may be struggling. This can be encouraged by scheduling regular mental health check-ups with each employee and their manager or HR.
Examine your company’s work-life balance
Much of the stress experienced by employees comes from an unhealthy work-life balance, particularly since many organisations have adopted a fully remote or hybrid way of working.
As a business leader, or as someone working in HR, you need to ensure that your culture isn’t embracing the toxic concept of ‘always being busy.’
Of course, some working environments are naturally more highly pressured than others but if your people are expected to always be available to answer calls and emails, even in the evening, or worse, when on holiday, something urgently needs to change.
On the plus side in our recent Bond Williams poll, 95% of surveyed people said remote/hybrid working had made their mental health better so it’s not all bad news!
