More employees are comfortable talking about mental health issue at work, but this remains a significant problem according to the latest survey from Nuffield Health
Its 2024 Healthier Nation Index found that more than half of employees (51 per cent) went to work despite suffering ‘poor mental health’. However this figure was seven percentage points lower than last year.
It also found that almost a third (32 per cent) of employee called in sick due to poor mental health, but gave another reason to their employer. Again, this has improved since last year’s report, but is only slightly down on the 35 per cent figure recorded in 2023. Nuffield points out that despite this improvement, over a quarter of the workforce are still reluctant to take about their mental health problems with employers.
The survey also showed that people want their employers to put aside more time for physical activity.
Almost half of respondents (46 per cent) said that work commitments mean they did not have time to take part in regular physical exercise, with 43 per cent stating employers should put aside time for this.
Nuffield Health said that with low physical activity and poor mental health undoubtedly linked, employers must listen to the needs of their workforce to foster a positive and more transparent culture.
This survey, of more than 8,000 UK adults comes ahead of this year’s Mental Health Awareness week, which has a focus on improving physical activity.
Nuffield Health’s mental health prevention lead Lisa Gunn says: “Spending just five extra minutes on personal wellbeing a day can significantly boost mental and physical health, so we are calling on workplaces to encourage their employees to do this.
“This is a key part of creating an open, transparent and connected workplace environment. People are becoming more aware of the benefits of exercise on overall wellbeing and employers should lean into that.”