Third of firms say mental health support has improved

Three in 10 employers say their mental health and wellbeing support has improved since the pandemic began, while one in 10 say it has worsened.

A survey commissioned by Acas found that 36% of senior decision-makers felt their organisation’s provision of support for mental health and wellbeing had either got better by a little or a lot.

Half felt their support services had stayed the same, while 9% felt it had worsened by a little or a lot.

“The pandemic has been a challenging period for everyone and it’s great to see that over a third of bosses have managed to improve their organisation’s mental health support for their staff,” said Acas chief executive Susan Clews.

“However, nearly one in ten employers have seen this support deteriorate so it is important for businesses to invest in the wellbeing of their workers as they open up again.

“Acas has good advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work.”

Acas advice for employers on managing mental health during the pandemic includes:

• Being approachable, available and encouraging team members to talk if they’re having problems
• Keeping in regular contact with team members to check how they are coping
• Being understanding towards the concerns and needs of staff while they work in new or unexpected ways, such as working from home
• Addressing any individual communication preferences such as asking team members if they prefer to talk over the phone, through video meetings or by email
• Leaders looking after their own mental health and getting support if they feel under more pressure than usual. This support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor.

Some 2,030 senior business leaders participated in the YouGov poll in June, the results of which have been published today.

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Separate research from Cigna Europe has found 71% of UK workers are currently stressed, with 12% describing this stress as “unmanageable”.

Another survey, by Lime Global, found only one in six employees felt their employer supported their mental health well.