Everyday life stresses can become more serious if you don’t have anyone to lean on. That’s why it is important to create a workplace environment that encourages employees to share their thoughts.
Today, it’s estimated that around 15 percent of UK workers have a mental health condition. It’s widely known that poor mental health can have adverse effects on both physical health and wellbeing. The impact on employees’ health however has significant consequences for businesses, particularly when employees are not able to perform at their best.
Employers looking to address the underlying impact of mental health and its consequences on the workplace should look to provide mental health support and resources to their employees. Bupa can support your business with our Bupa Well+ health and wellbeing subscription service.
We understand that quick and easy access to mental health support is crucial for your employees that’s why we’ve prioritised investment into our digital services including Blua, which offers convenient access to digital health services for Bupa customers through the My Bupa app.
By offering your employees Bupa Well+ subscription they would be able to access the service through Blua on the My Bupa app, employees can access mental health services and have a triage appointment within 24 hours.
Mental health can be affecting your employees in more than just one way.
Physical health
When you think about the phrase ‘mental health’, you might think about conditions such as depression or anxiety. But everyone has mental health. You and your colleagues will have times when your mental health is good – and times when it impacts on your overall wellbeing. Just like physical health. Mental and physical health are strongly interconnected.
Chronic illness is a common symptom that can be caused by poor mental health. It can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and a weakened immune system. Meanwhile, anxiety and depression can also affect sleep quality which can worsen physical health overtime.
Sickness absence
In 2022, mental health was the fifth most common reason that employees gave for sickness absence, accounting for 7.9 percent of occurrences. Days lost from work can have a detrimental impact on businesses and for employees, frequent absences can result in increased stress and workload upon return, which negatively impacts their overall wellbeing further.
Productivity
Mental health is the most common cause of work-limiting conditions for those aged 44 and under. Those struggling with their mental health might find it hard to concentrate, complete tasks accurately or solve problems. It might even lead to presenteeism where people continue to show up to work despite poor mental health, resulting in reduced effectiveness and costly mistakes.
Work-related stress
Data found that 12 percent of the working days lost were due to mental health conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety. Too much pressure and a lack of support can affect employee’s happiness at work and negatively impact their overall quality of life. This can lead to burnout in the workforce with employees feeling physically and mentally worn out.
Economic impact
Poor mental health among employees is estimated to cost UK employers up to £45 billion each year. This is mainly lost due to workers taking sick days, being less productive due to mental health conditions and staff turnover as some workers even chose to leave their jobs altogether.
What can employers do? Taking care of your employees’ mental health is crucial for maintaining the overall wellbeing of your workforce but doing it alone can be a stressful and confusing process with all of the options available online. That’s why Bupa is here to support your business needs, to find out more about our health and wellbeing subscription service here.
