Only 11% of workers had recently discussed mental health with their line managerAt that scale, the impact on business is, unsurprisingly, significant: the estimated total cost to employers is £26bn per year, according to the Centre for Mental Health. Valentine has mental health conditions including anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), but, unlike many others, she regularly talks to her boss about her mental health. However, managers need to be open about mental health if they are to effectively support staff, says Madeleine McGivern, head of workplace wellbeing programmes at mental health charity Mind. “You don’t need to have an HR department to support someone with a mental health issue, but you do need to have line managers who are aware of mental health problems,” McGivern adds. “It’s a bit of a misnomer that people who have mental health problems can’t function in fast-paced or stressful environments.

Source: The Guardian October 10, 2016 06:00 UTC