News: Performance Management
'Managers should take action on employee mental health'
06 March 2008
The importance of good management has been highlighted by the results of a survey which claims mental health problems could affect as many as one in six employees.
Conducted by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, the study valued the overall cost to employers of lost productivity and sick leave associated with mental health problems to be almost £26 million and encouraged business leaders to help suffering staff, the Director reports.
Tim Cooper is a managing director at the Shaw trust which aims to help disadvantaged people find work.
He believes that mental health problems are not just an issue for human resources managers and told the news provider: "Employers underestimate the extent to which employees suffer stress and anxiety, and often do not have policies and procedures in place to deal with this."
"Line managers are often in the best position to spot potential problems," Mr Cooper added.
The report concludes that on each day one worker in five will experience metal distress while mental health problems account for 40 per cent of sickness absence from work.
