- Only 34% of workers who have experienced a mental health problem in the last five years have felt well supported at work by their line manager
- Just half of line managers feel confident they could recognise signs that a member of their team was having problems coping
- 64% of workers who have experienced a mental health problem support a zero tolerance approach to mental health stigma at work, compared to just 44% of line managers
New research analysis released today to mark Mental Health Awareness Week (8-14 May) by official organisers the Mental Health Foundation and employee benefits provider Unum, reveals stark differences between line managers’ understanding of mental health problems in the workplace and the challenges faced by employees who are experiencing distress at work.
Line manager perception vs the reality of mental health support
According to the survey by YouGov, only half of line managers (50%) feel confident that they could recognise signs that a member of their team was having problems coping and only a third (34%) of workers who have experienced a mental health problem in the past five years have felt well supported by their manager.
The research shows that employees place a much greater importance on good line management relationships and a zero tolerance approach to stigma than line managers, with nearly two thirds (64%) of workers who have experienced a mental health problem calling for a zero tolerance approach to mental health stigma in the workplace, compared to only 44% of line managers.
Worryingly, line managers routinely overestimate how well their workplace supports mental health and wellbeing. Nearly half (45%) of managers surveyed think that an employee experiencing a mental health problem would be supported to remain in work by making reasonable adjustments to their role, but less than a fifth (19%) of workers who have experienced distress say they have actually received such support.
Excerpt from The C Suite, read the full article
here.
