Masterclass
Stephen Bevan on Good Work & Mental Wellbeing

This masterclass focuses on the practical steps that business leaders and managers can take to ensure positive mental health and wellbeing at work, at a time when the COVID-19 crisis has added to the stress and uncertainty experienced by many employees.

Creating workplaces which make a positive contribution to mental wellbeing is a clear priority for many leaders and managers, who recognise its importance for business performance as well as individual health. Mental health problems are a huge issue affecting people and businesses. Statistics tell us that stress and poor mental health are the second biggest cause of sickness absence in UK workplaces, and 12.8 million days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2019. A survey by Mind found that ten percent of employees rated their mental health as poor or very poor; of these, 26% said that this was due to problems at work and a further 50% cited work as a contributory factor.

These figures only paint part of the picture, and recent research into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that lockdown, social distancing and working from home are having a significant impact on mental health and wellbeing due to increased anxiety or stress.

While there are many factors to consider, it is clear that the workplace has huge potential either to enhance or to undermine mental health and wellbeing. Employers increasingly recognise the need to identify and support people with mental health problems, but the wider task is to identify and address those workplace practices which can strengthen or undermine individual well-being and mental health. So, what can employers do to become part of the solution rather than part of the problem?