EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS CASE

The business case for addressing mental health at work has never been more pressing because the cost of not doing so is huge. Research from the CBI, and HSE estimates that:

• £5 billion+ annually is lost to British industry as mental ill heath at work leads to higher absence rates, higher staff turnover and reduced productivity.
• One third of absences are due to stress, anxiety or depression, however, only 14% are officially certified as such. The rest will be certified as one of the physical and secondary symptoms of a mental health problem.
• One in three employees will have a mental health problem each year
• 91 million working days are lost to UK employers each year through stress-related illness.

There is now also a growing legislative framework with a focus on mental health at work the most important of which are:

• The Mental Health Act (2007)
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999)
• The Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
• The Health & Safety Act (1974)

As well as the business case for addressing mental ill health at work there is also a moral case. Even in this day and age, there tends to be a stigma attached to mental illness.
People with mental health problems often feel that they are discriminated against when it comes to finding employment - even though they may have a great deal to contribute in the workplace.
In many cases, this is simply due to a lack of knowledge about mental health issues - a `fear of the unknown'.
Click here to see some popular myths.

Two of the principal aims of FEAT are to:

• Provide employers and their staff with the skills and knowledge to promote mental healthy workplaces and respond positively to an employee who becomes unwell.
• Break down the barriers that sometimes exist between prospective employers and people who are looking for a job, but who happen to experience mental health problems.

Testimonals

"CBI Scotland welcomes the opportunity to publicly voice support for the work of FEAT. Employers are aware that mental health problems can affect anyone at any stage of their working life, and that it is in the best interests of both employer and employee that any such problems are addressed properly and effectively. There is no doubt that given the importance of a healthy workforce to businesses, employers can have a role to play in managing any mental health issues that an employee may encounter. CBI Scotland calls on employers in Fife who do not already have a formal policy in place to be as supportive as possible to any employee during times of mental health difficulties and to make provisions for such a policy."

(Rona Campbell, Assistant Director, CBI Scotland, 2009)

"I want to congratulate Fife Employment Access Trust on the important work they do in helping to challenge the myths and stereotypes around mental health. FEAT can bring about lasting social change by being part of the concerted effort to challenge attitudes, to enable people to fulfil their aspirations, and to significantly improve opportunities and outcomes for people with mental health problems. FEAT have a key role to play in enabling the people of Fife to have choices to improve their quality of life and be included as equal members of society."

(Prime Minister Gordon Brown, September 2008)