People Management recently stated that more than one million fit notes relating to mental and behavioural disorders were issued by the NHS in the UK last year, with two in five (42 per cent) of those signing employees off work for a month or longer.
Reasons behind the large number of fit notes could include the increased scope of PTSD diagnoses, increased awareness around mental health, decreased stigma and the continued fallout of the impact of Covid restrictions on mental health.
Employers must continue to shift culture and workplace dynamics to encourage greater awareness of and support for mental health issues without judgement, as this will help minimise high incidences of long-term absence relating to mental ill-health as well as reducing employee disputes on the matter.
Employers should also consider training for anyone responsible for employee wellbeing to ensure they know how to provide the best support and what avenues are available; for example, alerting the authorities if they believe an employee could be a danger to themselves or others.
Some people may try to carry on with their work while struggling with mental health, but it’s up to employers to spot the signs and offer support if they believe an employee is struggling. This could include managing workload, additional support or a temporary change of duties if they believe that an employee’s mental health could be a danger to the health and safety of the workforce or themselves. It’s important not to take a blanket approach to mental health as each person will experience good and bad mental health in different ways. Each person should be managed as an individual with support offered on a case-by-case basis.
Rachel Suff, senior wellbeing adviser at the CIPD, highlighted recent research that revealed mental ill-health was the top cause of long-term sickness absence in 2023. As such, she said: “Organisations need to promote good mental health among employees and develop a systematic approach that assesses psychological risks and puts in place preventative steps to mitigate them.
This means taking an organisation-wide approach that includes an inclusive and stigma-free culture, where people feel safe to share health issues, visible leadership and people managers who are confident and capable to support employee health.
Early intervention is key, such as putting in place adjustments to help people manage the impact of any symptoms on work. Employers need to manage absence in a proactive but supportive way. Employee support services such as occupational health and employee assistance programmes are important specialist sources of help where needed.
Employers should take care to build a supportive, open workplace and take time to understand an employees’ specific concerns, needs and worries, wherever possible, taking proactive steps to ensure they are not disadvantaged. Inviting employees to a ‘return to work’ meeting after a period of absence to discuss if and what additional support may be beneficial or necessary. This could be adjustments to working hours, alerting colleagues to particular methods of working and possibly advice from healthcare professionals.
Good communication, regular updates and a positive attitude from employers will provide the best opportunity for employees to flourish.
Please discuss any issues you may have with dealing with an employee with a mental health issue with Carrie..!
