Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • 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
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • 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
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Mental health conditionsLatest NewsMental healthWellbeing

UK employers leading the way in offering mental health support

by Ashleigh Webber 16 Apr 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 16 Apr 2018

UK employers are more likely to offer mental health support to their staff than their counterparts around the globe, according to a survey by Deloitte.

A survey of 202 UK employers, conducted as part of Deloitte’s 2018 Global Human Capital Trends report, found that more than a third (36%) offered mental health counselling to their staff. This compared to 21% of organisations worldwide.

Almost nine in 10 (88%) of the UK businesses offered wellness and work-life balance programmes to their employees, compared with a global average of 82%. However, Deloitte found that three in five (59%) offered only limited wellbeing programmes, which it said were typically focused on adjusted working patterns or time off in exceptional circumstances.

Mental health support

How communication can support better mental health at work

How to prevent workplace stress

Only a third (36%) offered wellbeing programmes that Deloitte considered “beyond the traditional”, including mindfulness, work-life balance and financial fitness. However, by comparison, these were offered by only a quarter of organisations worldwide.

Anne-Marie Malley, UK human capital leader at Deloitte, commented: “It’s positive to see that many UK businesses are taking steps to champion mental health in the workplace, but it’s clear that more still needs to be done. Offering mental health support to employees not only helps British workers to thrive but also makes good business sense and supports the wider economy.”

According to a separate study by the Reward & Employee Benefits Association (REBA) and Punter Southall Health & Protection last month , nearly two-thirds (60%) of UK chief executives saw the mental health of their employees as a priority, but only 16% had a defined strategy in place to help them.

Furthermore, the number of fit notes issued by GPs for mental health issues increased by 13.5% between July and September 2017.

Malley said many organisations wanted to invest in employee wellbeing strategies, but often did not know where to begin. “Bridging the gap between awareness and action requires businesses to make wellbeing a priority at the most senior management levels.

“After this, an adequate review of organisational needs, understanding what is best practice and targeting interventions to the needs of those in the organisation will be key drivers of success.”

Flexible working was one of the most popular wellbeing benefits offered by UK employers. Six in 10 (59%) had a flexible working programme in place, and 92% of those believed it had a valuable impact on the wellbeing of their staff.

Employee assistance programmes, which provide support with personal or work-related concerns, were offered by half of organisations (compared to 30% across the rest of the world).

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Globally, 86% of employees said they valued having a flexible schedule, but this was only offered by 50% of employers internationally.

Working from home was seen as important by 70% of employees, but just 27% of organisations worldwide gave their staff the opportunity to do so.

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Sir Martin Sorrell leaves WPP in accordance with “at-will” agreement
next post
An employee value proposition for the future of work – is HR ready?

You may also like

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Awareness weeks fuel spike in demand for mental...

19 May 2025

Four ways employers can reduce the risk of...

14 May 2025

Healthcare workers prioritise mental health support in new...

12 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

‘Healthy work’ about much more than access to...

28 Apr 2025

Call for better mental health support for NHS...

17 Apr 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

Quarter feel their employer is ineffective at managing...

11 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...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 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • 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
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today