Mental health issues are on the rise amongst the UK workforce

We can often take our health for granted, both mental and physical… until something goes wrong, that is.  And then we need to address whatever issues we face.

On average, we spend just under 20% of our lifetime at work. Let that just sink in for a minute. That’s a fifth of your waking hours, beavering away, earning the money that means you can enjoy the other parts of your life. Which means that looking after your mental health while at work is more important than ever.

Another worry to face, that can seriously affect your mental health, is the prospect of redundancies or layoffs. If a company is struggling, normally one of the first things to be impacted is the workforce. This threat can be very unsettling. That’s why here, at Careerminds, we offer a unique service for businesses facing just that. As one of the top outplacement providers in the UK, our service includes outplacement until placement, which means the support and advice we deliver doesn’t stop after just a few months. We know that it can take a while to secure a new role, and that everyone is different, so our outplacement services carry on until all of your employees have found a new position. It’s the only way forward and is also better for the mental health of those departing employees, as they know they will receive the full support they need during the entire job search process.

In this article, we aim to uncover the most recent facts and figures on the mental health state of the nation, learn what can be done to combat this decline in mental health in employees, and discover how employers and business leaders can help.

First, before we dive into the stats, let’s define what mental health issues actually are and list some of them, to be clear on what we’re talking about and what mental health covers.

• Mental health concerns affect how you think, feel, and behave
• They will likely get better over time
• If a mental health concern persists or becomes more severe, it might then develop into a more serious mental illness
• Common mental health concerns include anxiety, stress, burnout, and depression and they’re the ones we’re talking about in this article – not the ones severe enough to warrant a long-term mental health diagnosis, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Now that it’s clear what we mean by mental health issues, let’s delve into the most recent surveys. According to The Health Foundation, which carried out its survey in November 2023, “the number of workers aged 16-34 years, who reported that their mental health limits the type or amount of work they can do, has more than quadrupled over the past decade.” It also states that, “mental ill health is now the most common cause of work-limiting conditions among those aged 44 years and younger.”

And it’s not just the employees who are suffering. A report carried out for Deloitte UK by YouGov, in October 2023, found that poor mental health amongst the workforce costs employers £51 billion a year, with presenteeism – when people are at work but don’t perform to their full capacity due to being ill – being the largest factor in this, costing employers £24 billion on an annual basis.

This then relates to Mind’s Big Mental Health Report which discovered that, “people with a mental health problem earn nearly £10,000 less a year than someone without one,” in England.

This is leading to a crisis amongst workers, as well as countless days lost in productivity. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), a public body helping to prevent work-related death, injury, and ill health across the UK, found that there were 33.7 million working days lost in Great Britain in 2023 / 2024, with 16.4 million of those related to stress, depression, or anxiety. That’s just under half of sick leave related to mental health issues. According to the TUC:

• 55% of workers feel that work is getting more intense and demanding
• 61% of workers state that they feel exhausted at the end of most working days

While this is clearly a move in the wrong direction, it’s worth focusing on the reasons why mental health is deteriorating amongst the UK workforce.

1. The work environment and working conditions – a review on sickness absence in the UK labour market, undertaken by the Office for National Statistics in 2022, showed that, “in 2022 / 2023, there were an estimated 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety, resulting in 17.1 million working days lost”.

2. Absenteeism – the same study revealed that “mental health was the 5th most common reason given for sickness absence, accounting for 7.9% of occurrences.” It’s a vicious circle – you don’t feel like going to work because you are depressed or anxious, but you might be depressed and anxious because you’re not connecting with others and living your life.

3. The pandemic – while this might seem a long time ago for some, for others, it has had a huge effect on their mental wellbeing and is still seen as an ongoing problem.

4. Work pressure – a survey cited by MHFA England says that, “one in five UK workers reported feeling unable to manage stress and pressure in the workplace.” It seems that work is getting on top of a lot of employees.

5. Layoffs and redundancies – when these occur, people can feel worthless, angry, alone, or insecure as they might think they’re just not good enough at their job, even if the company has had to lay people off due to circumstances beyond their control. This is where outplacement services can offer a light at the end of the tunnel for those affected employees, because they offer full support to get them back on their feet and into a role as quickly as possible.

With 33% of managers feeling out of their depth when it comes to dealing with issues regarding their employees’ mental health, it’s time for a rethink. And the finger points at businesses. Deloitte Insights found that, “70% of managers cited organisational barriers to supporting staff well-being, including company policy, heavy workload, unsupportive workplace culture, and not being equipped with the right skills.”

Investing in robust strategies that boost the mental health of workers is one of the best things that an organisation can do. After all, members of staff are at the centre of every company, so they’ve got to be looked after.

The benefits of doing this result in:

• Decreased risks of work-related mental health concerns
• An increase in employee satisfaction and engagement
• Reduced costs related to absenteeism
• Increased productivity: with every £1 spent supporting the wellbeing of the workforce, employers received, on average, about £4.70 back
• A positive, open, and transparent work culture that sends a true message to the outside world that the company is a great place to work for

It’s never too late to step up and improve your mental health, whether you’re a member of staff or in the senior leadership team. In fact, if you’re in charge of a team of people, it’s important to look after your own mental health, so you can then help those who may be struggling.

With only 10% of employees reaching out for support for their mental health, now is the time to get to grips with this problem.

• Take time for yourself during the working day, such as practising yoga or going for a walk in your lunch break. The fresh air will clear your head, ensuring you’re more than ready for an afternoon of work.
• Connect more with co-workers. For example, rather than sending an email, walk up to their floor or over to their desk and have a face-to-face conversation.
• Buy a small, thoughtful gift for someone in the office that you can give personally and watch their face light up as they open it up. It could be a bar of their favourite chocolate or a gorgeous smelling soap; it certainly doesn’t have to be expensive as it’s the thought that counts and making someone happy will make you feel happy at the same time.
• Learn to say “no” if you start to feel overwhelmed with the amount of work piling up.

While these recent surveys paint a rather bleak picture of the state of mental health of UK workers, there are signs of light at the end of the tunnel, with policies and processes that can be introduced by companies to combat this rise.

Alongside this, employees themselves can take steps to improve their mental health and, in so doing, be more productive at work.

If your organisation is having to consider outplacement services, contact us at the earliest opportunity to find out more about the benefits of using Careerminds and how our outplacement can offer a bit of peace of mind to those members of the workforce who are looking for new roles.

Elizabeth Openshaw

Elizabeth Openshaw has over 12 years of experience in the job search sector, including extensive expertise in outplacement and CV reviews. Previously a Journalist on national publications, she is Director of her own company, OpenDoor CV Expertise Ltd. You can connect with her at Elizabeth Openshaw | LinkedIn.