New YouGov Omnibus research carried out in conjunction with Totaljobs and Mind finds that just three in ten UK workers feel that their employer provides enough mental health support.
The study was commissioned in order to explore UK workers’ experiences of mental health and wellbeing at work. It found that only 29% of UK employees felt their employer provided sufficient support regarding mental health.
Regarding whether they would be comfortable discussing a mental health issue with their employers, only 3 in 10 (29%) of UK workers said they would feel comfortable.
Of the reasons they would not feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their employer, 35% said they feel their employer would think negatively of them, 32% feel there is a stigma attached to mental health issues while 32% would be embarrassed. Over one in five (23%) felt it may impact their chance of progression at work.
The research showed January is the month when workers are most likely to take time off for illness, with 9% of all workers in the UK stating it to be the month in which they are most likely to take a sick day.
The study also showed that 1 in 10 (10%) people have taken sick days off work, or have been unable to work as an employee, due to a mental health issue in the last year - with nearly three in ten (29%) of these stating that their employer was unaware of the reason.
