According to Improving health and work: changing lives [external site], being in paid employment or unpaid work compared with being unemployed, is better for mental wellbeing and helps protect against mental health problems. Paid employment may not only provide financial security, but also contribute to feelings of self-worth through increased opportunities for social interaction and engagement, feelings of control, a sense of purpose, as well as personal identity. The benefits of paid and unpaid work are reliant on the nature and quality of the work, the culture within the workplace, as well as the way it is organised. A poor work environment – lack of support, unclear or inconsistent information from supervisors, unrealistic or high demands, low levels of control, and insecurity – can have negative effects on both employees and employers. According to the Scotland Office [external site], the Scottish workforce is made up of approximately 2,538,000 people (76.2 per cent of the population). Workplaces can therefore play a highly effective role in mental health improvement by providing mechanisms for staff that may need support. Organisations need to be active in promoting mental wellbeing for all employees, reducing work-related causes of mental health problems and improving the quality of life of those experiencing mental health problems. Mental health improvement in the workforce requires both action at an individual level – providing opportunities for staff to look after their own mental wellbeing – and organisation-focused interventions, introducing policies and practices to improve working conditions and the physical working environment. back to top
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Informed by reviews of effectiveness evidence, NICE have produced public health guidance on promoting mental wellbeing at work. NICE public health guidance 22: Promoting mental wellbeing through productive and healthy working conditions: guidance for employers [PDF: 261kb] made five recommendations with a number of action points. They recommended that employers should adopt a strategic and coordinated approach to promoting employees’ mental wellbeing, and that they should assess opportunities for promoting employees’ mental wellbeing and managing risks. Employers are also recommended to provide consistent and fair opportunities for flexible working. NICE recommended that employers and training and professional organisations concerned with management should strengthen the role of line managers in promoting the mental wellbeing of employees through supportive leadership and management practices. Finally, there are recommendations made as to how micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses can be supported to develop and implement organisation wide approaches to promoting mental wellbeing. These actions should help all employers, irrespective of the size of their business or organisation and whether they are in the public, private, or voluntary sectors, to create a mentally healthy workplace. The guidance cites evidence to the effect that people in lower paid jobs are more likely to experience poor working conditions, such as lack of control of their workload, lack of job security, limited support, and exposure to physical hazards. It suggests that improvements in the quality of work and working conditions may consequently help to reduce health inequalities. The guidance also refers to growing diversity of the workforce, including a significant increase in women in part-time jobs, migrant workers and older employees, as having increased the potential for stress associated with discrimination and perceived injustice. The NHS Health Scotland Scottish Perspective on this guidance supported the action points subject, where appropriate, to adaptation to fit Scottish organisational arrangement. The full recommendations for Scotland can be found on the Health Scotland website [external site]. Also informed by reviews of effectiveness evidence, the Foresight Project called Mental Capital and Wellbeing [external site] suggests actions that could help workers to enhance their wellbeing in the workplace, whilst preserving, or even enhancing, efficiency and productivity:
A range of tools to help employers identify workplace stressors and give guidance on good practice are available, including the Healthy Working Lives Workpositive resource [external site]. back to top
There are many recommendations included in the current evidence and policy and resources sections of the website.Improving the quality of life of those experiencing mental health problems can help ensure positive outcomes for employers and employees.Organisational change and good management practice can improve levels of job control thorough communication and participation in decision-making and problem solving. Increasing understanding about mental health problems at work is also important.Specific interventions that employers can undertake include guidance to self help management, early referral to workplace-based support and stress management, as well as supporting people back to work through primary care – for example through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).Employers should be able to demonstrate a comprehensive and integrated approach, including:
Supportive employment practices include:
For more information on supportive employment practices, please visit the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health website [external site].Employees have a responsibility to promote their own mental wellbeing and take action to protect against mental health problems. However, many of the factors influencing the health of staff are psychosocial, relating to the style of management and working culture. Mental wellbeing and mental health problems need to be addressed systematically both at an organisational and at an individual level.Workplaces can support individuals by providing information on positive steps for mental health improvement, and by:
As service providers, individual members of local partnerships (for example, community planning or employability partnerships) should promote mentally healthy workplaces by:
Examples of work in Scotland to improve mental health in the workplace are included on the Centre for Health Working Lives website [external site]. These include:
Business costs of mental health problems
The Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 2004/05 [PDF: 502kb] found that 76 per cent of people with a mental health problem are unemployed. This figure is higher than for other groups with a disability or health condition. Mental health is affected by a wide range of factors, including inequalities or discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race, sexuality, disability or faith. For example, although we know that one in four people will be affected by a mental health problem in the course of a year, in general, rates of mental health problems are thought to be higher in minority ethnic groups than in the white population. Minority ethnic groups are, however, less likely to have mental health problems detected by a GP. See Inside Outside: Improving Mental Health Services for Black and Minority Ethnic Communities in England [PDF: 206kb] It is crucial that employers consider the impact of policies, practices and procedures on everyone in the workplace in an inclusive way.