We openly talk about mental health here at UKIM Occupational Health & Wellbeing and why it should be taken seriously- especially in workplaces.
Amongst the variations of mental health presentations, stress can sometimes go unnoticed because, well, it’s something everyone goes through and is normal. However, if someone is experiencing stress for a long period of time and it doesn’t seem to be easing, it can cause some more serious health and work problems.
How we can help you support employee stress and mental health to create a better workforce:
At UKIM we have an extensive team of clinicians and occupational health experts, who understand the industry completely, and help shape our services to ensure that you’re fully supported as a business to navigate mental health challenges like stress, anxiety and depression.
We offer mental health treatments like Psychology & Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Wellbeing Strategies, and our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Pebble Wellbeing.
Depending on what’s needed or most suitable to your workplace, employees, and problems, our team of experts are there ready to support. We offer fully comprehensive preventative strategies, treatments and reports, guidance and advice to help your employees and business thrive.
Our services identify the sources of stress, support employees in their stress management, assist employers with clinically validated guidance, and prevent recurring issues of stress and poor mental health. All of which reduce absenteeism, presenteeism, and the high costs associated.
Not to mention, occupational health support promotes better employee retention and recruitment, making sure you get complete returns on investment.
One of our in-house Occupational Health Advisors, Debbie, explains how it can impact individuals and workplaces:
“If stress is excessive and prolonged, mental and physical illness may develop. Very often these symptoms include depression and anxiety which can be demonstrated in many ways including the inability to sleep, concentrate, think clearly, remain motivated and often individuals become emotional, often short tempered and anxious.
“Physical symptoms experienced can include fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, and poor appetite and all these, in turn, can have an impact on someone’s ability to be able to adequately do their job.
“Employers depend on having healthy and productive employees. Valued and supported staff are far more likely to deliver the best outcome for the business. It is not good business sense for employers to ignore the wellbeing and mental health of their staff.
“Not only can low levels of wellbeing and mental health result in poor performance and productivity but poor wellbeing and mental health is now the number one cause of long-term sick leave amongst employers.
“Research has shown that workplaces that genuinely promote and value wellbeing and good mental health, as well as support people with mental health problems, are more likely to reduce absenteeism, improve engagement and retention of employees, increase positivity and benefit from associated economic gains.
"Stress, and the longer-term negative effects, negatively impact workplaces in more ways than you might think."
By investing in mental health & wellbeing support via occupational health, you can:
- Reduce absences
- Reduce presenteeism
- Reduce financial costs
- Improve operations
- Improve retention
- Better morale
