Mental health strategies must address workplace and personal concerns to meet employees’ needs

Business leaders have identified mental health as the number one risk to organisational wellbeing – for the third year running.

The Employee Wellbeing Research 2020 report, published by REBA in association with AXA PPP healthcare, highlighted that psychological risk continues to be a red flag issue for the majority of boardrooms – 67% of employers said it is senior managers’ number one priority for employee wellbeing. A fifth (22%) said it was their number two priority.

This concern is despite mental health becoming a central pillar of employee wellbeing at most organisations.

Almost all employers (94%) address mental health within their wellbeing strategy, a rise from 83% last year.

The survey of 309 wellbeing, HR and employee benefits specialists, provides insight into what employers think are the main triggers of poor mental health. More than three quarters – 78% – said work-related stress (caused by workload or understaffing) is to blame, while 46% said work culture (long hours, or high a pressure environment) is a factor.

Personal problems also play a big part. While 71% said day-to-day issues such as caring responsibilities or relationships caused mental wellbeing problems, 61% cited life-changing events such as bereavement or divorce as being a major threat to psychological health.

“This indicates strongly that mental health strategies must address both workplace and personal concerns if they are to really meet employees’ needs,” says the research report.

It also warns that senior managers’ concerns for employee mental health will remain acute during 2020 and beyond, “as the psychological fallout of COVID-19 is keenly felt”.

Download a copy of the 92-page Employee Wellbeing Research 2020 (free to REBA Professional Members and all those working for REBA Associate Members).