Stress: a leading cause of work absence in 2023. What leaders can do?
In a recent report from the CIPD, it's revealed that 76% of organisations experienced staff absences due to stress in the past year, highlighting the importance of mental wellbeing in UK workplaces.
The report, 'Health and Wellbeing at Work,' indicates that high workloads are the primary cause of stress-related absences, reported by 67% of those surveyed, followed by management style, cited by 37%.
Sickness absences, not limited to stress-related cases, have risen to 7.8 days per employee on average per year—the highest level in a decade, emphasizing the need for proactive wellbeing strategies.
While these figures may seem concerning, it's essential to consider the broader context. External events, including the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and global crises, have significantly impacted people's wellbeing and brought considerable change to organisations.
There are positive signs, though. Some organisations are responding by adopting standalone wellbeing strategies (2023: 53%; 2021: 50%), and more managers are recognising the importance of wellbeing (67% in 2023 compared to 58% in 2020).
Moreover, over 78% of respondents, regardless of sector or size, report their organizations are taking steps to identify and reduce stress in the workplace.
To tackle stress effectively, consider:
Mental Health Strategy: Implement a systematic framework to improve mental health outcomes, addressing key actions and practical tools.
Collaboration with Occupational Health Specialists: Proactively manage stress and mental health risks, and utilise tools from the Health and Safety Executive. NICE, the CIPD and the HSE all recommend that Occupational health (OH) services are among the most common and effective methods of managing long-term absence.
Effective People Management: Ensure line managers are trained and supported to look after the health and wellbeing of their teams.
Our team of experts can help you develop a resilient workforce, whose mental health needs are both understood and supported by management, and who are better able to manage the stresses of both work and life.
It includes Dr. David Batman, a registered medical practitioner and senior Occupational Health Consultant with 30 years of experience in rehabilitation, wellbeing at work, mental health at work, employee resilience and sleep problems.
Dr. Batman says: “In these uncertain times the value of healthy employees, both physically and mentally, has never been more critical to business success. I am proud to be an integral part of a team of expert occupational health professionals with many years’ of experience.
Within OH-One we endeavour to promote and maintain the health and wellbeing of employees, with the aim of delivering programs to support a positive engagement between an employee's work and their health. Having access to specialist occupational health practitioners is key to supporting all employees and unlocking the benefits for employers”.
As sickness absence reaches a 10-year peak, it's crucial for employers to actively support their employees' health and wellbeing. At OH One, we are supporting SMEs and we believe that every employee deserves access to occupational health. We can help your organisation implement an effective mental health strategy, tackle sickness absence, listen to your needs and provide you with bespoke welness programmes and mental health education and training. Get in touch with our experts for a free, no commitment consultation!