When thinking about the health of your employees, their physical wellbeing probably first comes to mind. But what about employee mental health? Figures show that one in four people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England, and this can have a huge impact on happiness in the workplace, employee productivity and even the number of sick days taken. Given these factors, prioritising awareness of your company’s legal obligations and best practices regarding mental health conditions in the workplace is a must.
What does UK law say about mental health in the workplace?
Employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work by undertaking a risk assessment and acting on it. Where an employee is suffering from a mental health condition which has a long-term effect on their day-to-day activities, this may be classed as a disability, requiring the employer to make reasonable adjustments once this is known to them under the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act makes it unlawful for an employer to treat a disabled person less favourably because of their disability, without a justifiable reason. Mental health conditions considered disabilities under this Act include depression, bi-polar, self-harming behaviours, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD) and schizophrenia, this list is not exhaustive.
What can you do to boost mental health in the workplace?
As an employer, you cannot control every aspect of your employees’ life, but there are things you can do to make the workplace a healthier place, mentally and otherwise.
- Risk assessments – As mentioned above, some risk assessments are a legal requirement but you can go further. You could carry out a wellbeing assessment to really understand how your workplace impacts the mental health of your employees.
- Reasonable adjustments – Many people with a mental illness have a legal right to ask an employer for changes to be made to their jobs and workplaces, these are called ‘reasonable adjustments.’ These adjustments might include staggered start and end to the working day, more frequent rest breaks, regular meetings to help an employee prioritise their workload, accessible car parking, time off for therapy or counselling appointments. Employers must make sure these are in place – they may seem like small changes, but they can have a huge impact on your workforce.
- Absences – Keep an eye on your staff absences. All staff will get ill from time to time but be aware of staff with repeated absences as this could indicate they are struggling with their mental health.
- Communication – Regularly check in on staff! Encourage and create opportunities for honest and open discussions about mental wellbeing amongst colleagues. Remember this is also especially important to those still working from home.
- Encourage a comfortable working environment – Are you providing ample space and facilities to your workforce? Are your staff encouraged to wear comfortable clothes when appropriate?
