Acas commissioned YouGov to ask businesses in Britain about whether they had personally talked to their staff about their mental health in the last 12 months during the pandemic. The poll found that:
• nearly 3 in 5 (59%) had spoken to staff
• over a third (35%) had not talked to staff
• 3% did not know or could not remember
• 3% preferred not to say.
The publication of the results coincided with Time to Talk Day (which was on 3 February), which aims to support people to have conversations about mental health.
Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said: “The pandemic has been a challenging period for everyone and it is great to see that most employers have chatted to their staff about their mental health and wellbeing.
“However, a third of employers have not spoken to their staff about their mental health over the past year. Taking the time to talk openly about mental health is vitally important as it can avoid problems building up and lead to improved morale at work.
“Acas has good advice and training on how to support and manage mental health and wellbeing at work, which includes tips on how to start those conversations.”
Acas advice for employers on managing mental health during COVID-19 includes:
• be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they’re having problems
• keep in regular contact with your team to check how they are coping
• address any individual communication preferences such as asking team members if they prefer to talk over the phone, through video meetings or by email
• respect confidentiality and be calm, patient, supportive and reassuring if a staff member wants to have a chat about their mental health
• look after your own mental health and get support if you feel under more pressure than usual – this support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor.
This is valid as of 15th February 2022.
While the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is yet to be fully understood, mental health issues are the number one reason given for sick days in the UK.
According to the Regulator, last year more than 17 million working days were lost as a result of stress, anxiety, or depression. A recent survey by the charity Mind suggests that two in five employees’ mental health had worsened during the pandemic.
In response, the HSE has launched a new campaign, Working Minds, which aims to help businesses recognise the signs of work-related stress and make tackling issues routine.
While Working Minds is specifically targeting six million workers in small businesses, the HSE is calling for a culture change across Britain’s workplaces to ensure psychological risks are treated the same as physical ones in health and safety risk management.
HSE’s chief executive Sarah Albon said: “Work-related stress and poor mental health should be treated with the same significance as risks of poor physical health and injury. In terms of the effect it has on workers, significant and long-term stress can limit performance and impact personal lives.
“No worker should suffer in silence and if we don’t act now to improve workers’ mental health, this could evolve into a health and safety crisis.
“The pandemic has highlighted the need to protect the health of employees who have faced unprecedented challenges; the Government is committed to building back better and we want to make sure good mental health is central to this.”
HSE is reminding business that no matter where people work, employers have a legal duty to assess the risks in the workplace, not just in terms of potential hazards and physical safety. They should also promote good working practices. It says this promotes an open environment where employees can share their concerns and discuss options to ease pressures.
Sarah Albon added: “Our campaign is focused on giving employers a clear reminder of their duties while championing reducing work-related stress and promoting good mental health at work.”
The regulator has partnered with a number of organisations to highlight the triggers of stress, the legal duty of employers and how to manage the risks. The network of Working Minds champions includes the charity Mind, which supports and empowers anyone experiencing a mental health problem in England.
Working Minds is aimed specifically at supporting small businesses by providing employers and workers with easy to implement advice, including simple steps in its ‘5 Rs’ to:
1. Reach out
2. Recognise
3. Respond
4. Reflect
5. make it Routine.
Employers and workers wanting to know more about the Working Minds campaign, including the legal obligations, advice, and tools available, should visit the campaign’s website here.
This is valid as of 23rd November 2021.
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