The business case for mental health at work is well proven.
There are three aspects to this:
- The financial case and return on investment
- The legal case
- The ethical case
Mental Health at Work: Positive Returns
Financially
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) estimate that for an organisation with 1,000 employees, the cost of mental ill-health at work is £835,000 a year
How much is it costing your organisation?
NICE also estimate that 30% of these costs can be saved with simple steps – Headtorch can help you with these, and more
In November 2017, The Lancet published a study from the University of New South Wales that found for every £1 that was spent on mental health at work, the return is £9.98 *
The London School of Economics estimate this ratio to be £1 to £9.00
Legally
If you don’t take your employees mental health seriously, you could be in breach of the Health & Safety at Work Act, and The Equalities Act.
Don’t get caught out.
Ethically
It’s the right thing to do.
Employers that prioritise and support mental health across their organisation:
- Ensure high engagement levels
- increase productivity
- reduce absence
- Retain talent
- create a positive business reputation
- Attract talent
It should be no surprise that companies that are listed as the “Best Places to Work” also tend to be the most profitable with high growth levels and stock performance (ref. Fortune Magazine).
The Thriving at Work report published in October 2017 details the benefits that can be realised through a positive mental health culture – see below:
Thriving at Work, Stevenson & Farmer 2017
*: The University of New South Wales published a study on the effects of mental health training for managers, and found that for every £1 that was spent, there was a return of £9.98 – see more at the link below –
Mental Health at Work: increased profits, increased productivity, legal compliance, improved employee engagement – the right thing to do
"I would like to reiterate how well all your training has gone down, I have had lots of positive feedback. You are making a real and big difference!”
Investment Manager, International Fund Managers
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