More than one third of UK workers feel their employer “does not care” about their mental or financial wellbeing.
This is according to research conducted by Parliament Street, a think tank, which found that 35 per cent of workers hold the opinion that their boss is not concerned regarding their wellbeing.
It also found that 40 per cent admitted to lying to family members and colleagues about their financial and mental wellbeing, with 16 per cent confessing to consulting their GP regarding stress in the last six months.
Just under a quarter (23 per cent) said they have considered suicide due to their financial worries in the last six months. This news follows after yesterday (10th October) being World Mental Health Day which this year had a focus on suicide prevention.
Fears of a no-deal Brexit are taking hold of employees as 22 per cent are worried it will put their job at risk, with 40 per cent saying they are planning on taking a second job at night to make ends meet.
Just under a tenth (9 per cent) said they have stolen from their employer out of financial desperation, with 13 per cent saying they have had to use a foodbank and 16 per cent saying they have gone over their credit card limit.
Derrick Farrell, CEO at Vita Health Group, a UK healthcare provider said:
These figures paint a surprising picture of the state of mental health support systems for UK workers. Anyone, whatever their financial or personal circumstances, can find themselves faced with depression, anxiety or other illnesses, which all too often go untreated.
It’s critical that employers invest in the highest standards of professional support, including employee assistance programmes, which can help tackle these challenges as well as ensuring every member of staff has access to the care they need.
In order to get these results, Parliament Street asked Censuswide, a polling company to ask the opinion of 2,000 UK employees.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
Of the 35% who thought their Boss did not care about their mental health, how many were in the 40% that admitted to lying to their family, colleagues etc about how they were feeling?
Boss’s are not mind readers (luckily! ) so anyone feeling depressed should speak up.
Clearly if employees are not within a workplace culture that enables them to discuss issues with their Boss then it’s more difficult.
I must state, however, that Boss’s are not healthcare professionals so perhaps it’s time to stop trying to push this agenda on them. I have never been sent on any training courses to allow me to be able to become involved in what could become life/ death conversations. My company is not awash with cash and so there is no budget for this. Yes, they could take the expense of me being on a course as training is needed, so who should pay for this?
As with nearly everything in life today cost is the driver.
It states that Financial worries often lead to depression and suicidal thoughts. Perhaps early education at school about how to budget would be sensible. Stop the “have now, pay later” society mentality that is so prevalent. Children with £1000 mobile phones! Holidays that can’t be afforded.
It is simple :
Mr Micawber’s famous, and oft-quoted, recipe for happiness:
“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen [pounds] nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.”
Charles Dickens, David Copperfield