British employers warned over mental health fitness

British employers are being urged to put workplace mental health at the top of their agenda, not just today on World Mental Health Day, but everyday.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, over 91 million working days are lost to mental ill health every year, half of which are due to anxiety and stress. The total cost of mental health problems in England alone has been estimated at 32 billion, almost a third of which is attributed to lost employment and productivity.

The theme for World Mental Health day 2006 is ëBuilding Awareness - Reducing Risk: Mental Illness and Suicideí. Kevin Friery, clinical director at Right Corecare, the employee well-being specialist, comments: ìThree of the major contributors to suicidal thoughts are relationship problems, financial problems and depression. Taking these seriously and providing a professional approach to helping people work through them is key to ensuring that suicidal risk is recognised and handled sensitively.

ìThe issue for the concerned employer should be to develop an understanding of the way in which better mental health leads to improved wellness, which in turn leads to increased productivity and lower management costs. Employers should include mental health in their workplace audits on a regular basis and act on their findingsî.

Right Corecare works with companies in developing healthy workplaces and has put together some tips to help employers create a happy, healthy and efficient workforce:

Develop a mental health policy - Accepting that mental health is a serious issue is the first step towards improved employee well-being. A mental health policy demonstrates an organisationís commitment to its staff and its intention to remove the prejudices associated with mental health.

Perform a stress audit - Companies which assess current stress levels in the workplace gain valuable information on the issues affecting employeesí mental health and can therefore go on to remedy the situation.

Provide a counselling service - Staff often find it difficult to admit to their employers that they have a problem. Counselling offers a confidential ear where employees can candidly discuss their concerns, whether personal, financial or work-related, and receive help to overcome them.

Train managers - Providing managers with the correct training equips them with the skills needed to spot the signs of mental illness and to work out appropriate action to help the individual affected.

Improve physical health - Mental health is inextricably linked to physical well-being. Promoting physical fitness through exercise regimes, dietary advice and tips on reducing alcohol and nicotine intake can help employees to lower their stress levels.

Remove unnecessary stresses - Long working hours, competitive behaviour and concerns about job security all lead to unnecessary stress. Removing these worries allows staff to concentrate more fully on their work and increases productivity, which ultimately impacts on the bottom line.

Offer a stress management course - Stress management programmes allow employees to learn techniques for coping with unavoidable stress and nip many potential problems in the bud before they can escalate.