Employers show prejudiced attitude to mental illness

Over half of employers do not regard depression as a good reason for staff to take time off work, according to a survey of employer attitudes to mental illness.

In addition, 59% of the 1,822 UK employers questioned by online counselling and coaching firm Mentaline had the same view about stress, and 64% about anxiety.

One in five employers admitted that they would be less likely to employ somebody they knew had a history of mental illness and two-thirds said they would be more sympathetic towards an employee with a physical than a mental illness. Meanwhile 39% said that they “struggled” to take mental health issues seriously.

Earlier this year, mental health charity MIND found that of the one fifth of UK workers who admit having called in sick because of stress a staggering 93% have offered a different explanation for their absence.

The Equality Act 2010, which came into effect in October, banned pre-employment questions to job applicants about their health, including their previous sickness absence record.

Meanwhile, a briefing from MIND in Wales says work-related mental ill health costs the UK economy up to £26 billion every year and that better interventions could cut this cost by a third.

However, it says such actions “do not have to be expensive — small changes, such as ensuring staff take their breaks and making time to listen to staff’s concerns, can have a hugely positive impact.”