Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

StressAnxietyMental health conditionsCoronavirusMental health

Half receive no mental health support from employer since pandemic hit

by Ashleigh Webber 15 Sep 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 15 Sep 2020 Shutterstock
Shutterstock

More than half (56%) of employees haven’t received any mental health support or training from their employer since Covid-19 hit, with many saying their mental wellbeing has deteriorated.

A survey by mental health organisation TalkOut identified an increase in feelings of anxiety among UK workers. Thirty-five per cent of the 1,500 staff polled said their mental health was now worse than before the virus arrived in the UK.

Mental health and Covid-19

Survey reveals ‘toxic stew of worry’ created by pandemic

Money worries affecting mental health of mid-life employees

Pandemic mental health crisis ‘needs tackling swiftly’

Uncertainty about the future of their job was a worry for 51% of workers, while 68% said they felt anxious or apprehensive about a potential return to the workplace.

Overall, 85% said their mental wellbeing had not been among their employer’s priorities during the pandemic. This is perhaps evident in the fact that 31% said they were having fewer one-to-one discussions with their manager than before the pandemic.

When asked who they would talk to if they had a mental health concern, only 15% said they would approach to their organisation’s HR department. Seventeen per cent said they would not talk to anybody at all.

Jill Mead, CEO of TalkOut, said businesses still had a “long way to go” to provide effective mental health support for employees, despite the issue being on their agenda for some time.

“Unfortunately, whilst businesses were quick to adapt to social distancing and working from home, for many, the emotional wellbeing of employees was an afterthought. But the psychological strain of the crisis is impossible to ignore and whether staff have been working on the frontline, furloughed or working from home, it’s likely to have a long-term impact,” she said.

“It may seem like a daunting task but there are a number of immediate actions businesses can take to improve staff health and wellbeing. Regular communication to see how people are doing, creating safe spaces for people to talk openly, providing mental health training, and pinpointing employees to useful resources are all great starting points.

“A positive and supportive workplace can make all the difference when it comes to mental health and now more than ever, businesses have a duty of care to their workforce.”

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and part of the Personnel Today editorial team. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport.

previous post
Occupational health faces five ‘scale-up challenges’ to meet demand post pandemic
next post
One in 10 unemployed in Blackpool, Hull and Birmingham

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Three-quarters not meeting weekly exercise target

11 May 2022

Mental health still topping the concerns for employers

9 May 2022

Occupational health must help ‘de-risk’ requests for addiction...

6 May 2022

Severe Covid cognitive impairment ‘equivalent to 20 years...

4 May 2022

Four in five GPs suffering with mental health

29 Apr 2022

Government seeks evidence on mental ill-health prevention and...

19 Apr 2022

OH will be key to navigating ‘second pandemic’...

14 Apr 2022

Men’s mental health: motivating staff to open up

12 Apr 2022

Demand for CBT at record levels in England...

11 Apr 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today