Poor mental health, high blood pressure and arthritis are the most common health conditions that workers have not disclosed, according to a survey that has found two in five employees would not talk to their employer if they had a health issue.
Forty-one per cent of UK employees who responded to a survey commissioned by Benenden Health said they would not feel confident discussing any health issue with their employer, with many worrying about the impact it could have on their career and relationships at work.
Conditions that could be exacerbated in the workplace – poor mental health (33%), high blood pressure (18%) and arthritis (13%) – were among those that employees were the least likely to report. Eleven per cent with diabetes had not disclosed their condition.
Twenty-nine per cent said they would worry that people thought they couldn’t do their job if they disclosed their health condition or disability and 27% felt that disclosing could mean they would be dismissed.
For some, these concerns were based on prior experience, with 15% stating they had been overlooked for a job in the past due to a health condition or disability.
Hiding health concerns
Half lie about true reason for mental health absence
More than a third (36%) of the 2,007 workers polled for the National health and wellbeing at work report admitted to lying about their reasons for taking time off for an appointment, rising to 44% of 16-24 year olds.
Asked about their approach to supporting staff with health needs, 28% of business leaders said they would have concerns about offering support, with as many as a fifth (19%) revealing that they have previously hired someone with pre-existing health conditions but wouldn’t do so again.
More than a quarter (26%) of the 500 businesses surveyed did not offer any healthcare support on top of statutory requirements. Sixty per cent said they did not consult with employees when introducing healthcare support.
“It is disappointing that so many people still feel they can’t speak to their employers about their wellbeing and that a sizeable number of decision-makers reinforce this with dated approaches to hiring people with long-term health issues,” said Naomi Thompson, head of OD at Benenden Health.
“This stigma is especially prevalent in the workplace, with businesses too often unable to identify wellbeing issues, employees concerned about the implications of discussing them and a continuing lack of tangible support, all of which contribute to lost time and productivity for businesses as well as unaddressed poor employee wellbeing.”
Separately, the charity MedicAlert has found that men are more open about their health conditions than women. Forty per cent of males with an underlying condition described themselves as open about it when speaking to others, compared with just 25% of women.
Its survey of 2,006 UK adults found 24% don’t like to explain their condition to every person they meet, while 16% don’t discuss their health as they want to ease the burden on friends and family.
Meanwhile, UK organisations are predicted to increase their wellbeing spend by 18% over the coming year, according to Bupa Global’s Executive Wellbeing Index 2021.
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Twenty-eight per cent of business leaders said they were making employee mental health their top priority, with many bringing forth flexible working policies in order to support staff wellbeing. Almost two-thirds of business leaders have introduced flexible working polices, with a further 20% planning to do so over the next year.
Sheldon Kenton, managing director of Bupa Global said: “We know that the uncertainty we’re living through continues to impact our lives, our businesses, our mental health and our families. So it’s encouraging to see that the UK’s business leaders are investing in their employees’ wellbeing with concrete spending and initiatives.”
