Fewer than four in 10 employers consider their employee mental health support to be fit for current needs.
Research that involved 100 UK firms and more than 700 companies globally found that 28% of UK employers do not think they support mental health in a way that “fits the modern day”, according to professional services firm Aon.
Only 39% felt their mental health provision met modern day needs, while a third took a neutral view on the suitability of their mental health support services.
UK firms assessed themselves least favourably in developing financial security for employees, with only 37% stating they managed this well. Nineteen per cent said their firm was failing in developing financial wellbeing, while 44% were neutral about their performance in this area.
The survey asked employers to assess themselves against 10 key resilience attributes set out by the World Health Organisation.
Mental health
Majority don’t think employer supports mental health well
OH’s leadership key to tackling mental health post pandemic
Small businesses well-placed to manage mental health and return to work
UK employers were more positive about their ability to create environments that embraced inclusivity (58%), delivered clarity and purpose (67%) and offered a compassionate and engaging community (65%).
Mark Witte, head of health and risk consulting, Health Solutions UK at Aon, suggested that employers may be overly focused on where their people will work as they emerge from the pandemic, rather than whether they are resilient enough to perform in their roles.
“The results of the self-assessment survey show that UK businesses are struggling to balance short- and long-term priorities,” he said.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
“Mental health support is a key example; though firms are providing mental health resources, the survey reveals that managers are not confident in addressing mental health issues, their tool kits are not targeting underlying health risks, their communication campaigns aren’t effective enough and leadership don’t have the metrics to track change.
“It’s important to base a strategy on your people – listen to their needs and use data to plan effective processes moving forward. Though mental and financial health are the most common problems across organisations, issues will vary between businesses. Analysing relevant data and listening to employees will help identify and respond to gaps in resilience.”
