October 2019
Featured in this insight: Public health & wellbeing
More than a third of UK employees believe their boss does not care about their mental health: A survey of employees by the Parliament Street think tank has found that more than a third believe that their employer 'does not care' about their mental or financial wellbeing.
Over 2,000 employees working in full-time professional roles in the UK were surveyed for the research, which sought to unpick the pressures experienced by people in their day to-day lives.
The survey found that four in ten employees had lied to colleagues as well as family members about their mental or financial wellbeing, while 16% of respondents reported going to their GP owing to stress within the last six months.
Brexit was also found to be a source of worry for more than a fifth of respondents (22%) who said a 'no-deal' scenario might threaten their job security.
Financial pressures
Debt was revealed to be a worry for many respondents, with 16% reporting they had exceeded the limit on their credit card in the last six months and almost a fifth (17%) revealing they had turned to a debt helpline.
Four in ten respondents (40%) said in order to ease their financial worries they were planning to take on a second employment role in the evenings, while 13% reported using a foodbank in the last six months. Almost one in ten (9%) said that their situation had been that dire that they had stolen from the company they work for (9%), while 23% had considered suicide over financial stresses.
Speaking about the research, CEO at Vita Health Group, Derrick Farrell, said:
"It’s critical that employers invest in the highest standards of professional support, including employee assistance programmes, which can help in this situation, but don't go as far as a full mental health strategy."
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