Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer review of mental health and employers
On 26 October 2017 the Government published the long awaited mental health review, “Thriving at Work”. It looks into how employers can support employees to thrive at work even when burdened by mental ill health or poor well-being. The independent review was tasked by Prime Minister Theresa May on 9 January 2017 and aims several recommendations directly at the regulators such as the HSE, Government and public sector, to strengthen enforcement and regulation around mental health risks.
Overview
The study found that the UK faces a serious mental health challenge at work. An estimated 15% of people at work suffer from symptoms of existing mental health conditions. It was calculated, that whilst more people than ever before suffer from mental health conditions, annually 300,000 employees with long term mental health problems lose their jobs. This heavily outweighs the job loss rate with those that suffer from physical conditions.
Various costs arise as a result, such as the cost to personal lives, suicide and the overwhelming economic costs. In a study commissioned from Deloitte, the review found that the cost to employers of poor mental health ranges between £33 billion and £42 billion. The Deloitte study found that the cost to Government was estimated to be between £24 billion and £27 billion, which included the falls in tax revenue, costs to the NHS and in providing benefits. Lastly, the cost of poor mental health to the economy as a whole was estimated to amount to between £74 billion and £99 billion each year. Mitigating the vast productivity costs of poor mental health is therefore in the interest of both Government and employers.
The reviewers call on all employers, regardless of industry or size, to adopt six “mental health core standards” that lay the foundations for addressing mental ill health in the workplace quickly and efficiently. The standards are based on best practice and are as follows:
- Produce a mental health at work plan, then implement and communicate it.
- Improve awareness of mental health among employees.
- Encourage open communication about mental health and the existing support when employees struggle.
- Ensure employees enjoy good working conditions, that they have a healthy work life balance and opportunities to develop.
- Utilise line managers and supervisors to promote effective people management.
- Monitor employee wellbeing and mental health routinely.
Four additional ambitious ‘enhanced’ standards are set out in the review for those employers who can do more to lead the way in building on the six core standards.
They relate to the following:
- Transparency and accountability should be increased through external and internal reporting;
- The disclosure process should be improved;
- Accountability should be demonstrated;
- Lastly, the review suggests for public sector employers to ensure that tailored in-house mental health support as well as signposting to clinical help, is provided.
Targeted Recommendations
The Review addresses key players in the economy and provides them with recommendations.
The public sector, employing 5.4 million people, is ideally placed to lead the way in developing good practice. The Review urges the three largest public employers, namely the National Health Service, Education and the Civil Service to focus on areas with the highest risk of stress and trauma and to establish clear accountability for supporting mental health.
The review urges the Government to use its influence as well as legislative and purchasing power to encourage change via online information platforms, public procurement and incentives as well as clearer expectations of employers through legislation.
With regards to the role of regulators, the review highlighted the need for the most suitable regulatory approaches available to be used to encourage the implementation of the core standards among employers. Professional bodies accrediting or training professional qualifications are encouraged to include mental health at work in their training assessments and programs. The review recommends that the Equality and Human Rights Commission takes a more proactive role in monitoring and utilising their enforcement powers against employers who discriminate against employees due to their mental health.
The HSE was advised to revise its guidance to remind employers of their duty to manage and assess mental ill-health in the workplace. Specifically, the HSE was recommended to build on its Management Standards and risk assessment guidance approach by emphasising to employers how to deliver on key aspects of the six core standards. The HSE’s Management Standard focuses on stress in the workplace. Whilst it is a step in the right direction, the reviewers voiced their concerns that it may narrow employers approach to workplace mental health. Mental health problems can cause employees to face particular risks in the workplace whether the condition was brought to work or caused by it. Therefore, a more holistic approach is needed to support employers in enhancing and protecting mental health in the workplace. Further, it was recommended that the HSE use their inspecting power, which is triggered by high rates of safety incidents, to focus on mental ill-health and safety in the workplace.
Lastly, Local Authorities were advised to implement the same recommendations as the HSE throughout practices and guidance as well as to ensure the collaboration between its health and safety enforcement and public health roles.
