Mental Wellbeing Snapshots

In 2016 the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) published ‘Employee Outlook – Focus on Mental Health in the Workplace’. This was a report on the results of a study into the impact of mental health problems in the workplace. The study found that:

Poor mental health impacts on work performance in many ways. People at work with mental health problems report the following difficulties:

• 42% put off challenging work
• 37% are more likely to get into conflict with colleagues
• 25% find it more difficult to learn new tasks
• 18% rely more on colleagues to get work done

The study confirmed that mental wellbeing in the workplace is a challenging issue that employers cannot afford to ignore. Research has found that untreated mental health issues can cost British business up to £40 billion annually with estimates of an average cost of at least £1035 per employee (NHS Mindful Employer 2016). An organisation’s workforce is its most important and valuable asset so utilising a means to monitor and support mental wellbeing in the workplace makes complete business sense. This is exactly what the Mental Wellbeing Snapshot initiative provides.

The Mental Wellbeing Snapshots programme offers a valuable opportunity to enhance both individual and company wellbeing: the initiative provides for a visiting psychologist conducting one-to-one sessions with team members to assess their mental wellbeing and, where necessary, provide initial support and information on the relevant help available. The sessions also provide a platform to raise mental health awareness amongst staff; to enhance both individual and workplace health and safety and are a tangible demonstration of an employer’s commitment to supporting staff mental wellbeing.