Workplace mental health support ‘worse for public sector workers’

Less than half felt supported after disclosing mental health problems

Workplace wellbeing support is worse in the public sector than in the private sector, according to a survey of over 12,000 employees. The research by the charity Mind found a higher prevalence of mental health problems in the public sector, as well as a lack of support available when people do speak up. The UK public sector employs over 5.4 million people, almost 3 million of whom are employed by central government alone. Mind’s survey found that public sector workers were over a third more likely to say their mental health was poor than their peers in the private sector (15% versus 9%), and far more likely to say they have felt anxious at work on several occasions over the last month (53% compared to 43%). Public sector survey respondents said that, on average, they had taken nearly three days off sick in the last year because of their mental health, compared to just under one day on average for workers in the private sector. Excerpt from Health Insurance Daily, read the full article here.