More than a third of workers claim that their mental health has deteriorated over the past year, and many are struggling to find the time to attend medical appointments.
Health tech start-up Mynurva found 34% of employees felt their conditions getting worse over the past 12 months, yet more than half (54%) of full-time workers struggled to find the time in their working day to attend medical appointments to help manage conditions such as anxiety, depression and stress.
Its poll of 2,000 workers found that 40% had missed one or more scheduled appointments because of work commitments. This increased to 60% among those in London.
Two-thirds of 18-24-year-olds said they found it difficult to take time off work to attend a medical appointment.
“For those full-time workers suffering from symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression, the negative stigma surrounding mental health can make it incredibly difficult for suffers to seek help for their conditions. What’s more, it is concerning to see that employees feel they are too busy to be able to leave work and get help for their mental health problems,” said Dr Zain Sikafi, chief executive and founder of Mynurva.
“The research shows the need for a fresh approach to mental health, and I encourage employers to review the current systems they have in place to support the wellbeing of their staff. Doing so will not only encourage their employees to access the treatment they need, but also contribute to a more productive, transparent and positive working environment.”
Almost a third (32%) of full-time employees said they had experienced a work-related mental health condition. Of these, 54% said they were not aware of any formal support structures within their organisation that would help them to manage their condition.
Nearly half (49%) said their organisation lacked a culture that would enable them to discuss their concerns with their work colleagues.
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Workers also believed the government needed to do more to support people with mental health conditions. A total of 60% did not think it was providing enough support and 67% said NHS GPs did not have the time or training effectively to diagnose a mental health condition and recommend suitable treatment.
