Summary
The independent review of mental health and employers by Lord Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer estimates that poor mental health may cost the UK economy £99 billion per year, and that possibly 300,000 people with mental health problems may drop-out of employment each year due to inadequate support in the workplace. Long-term mental health problems are estimated to cost employers between £33 billion and £42 billion each year
The report offers 40 recommendations concerning how employers and government action and / or legislation might bring about better support for employees to remain at work.
“ …all employers, regardless of size or industry, should adopt 6 ‘mental health core standards’ that lay basic foundations for an approach to workplace mental health… larger employers and the public sector can develop these standards further through a set of ‘mental health enhanced standards’”.
Reference
Silver, K. (2017). ‘Depression lost me my job’: How mental health costs up to 300,000 jobs a year. London: BBC Health News, October 26th 2017.
This relates to:
Reference
Thriving at Work: the Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health and employers. London: Department for Work [and] Pensions and Department of Health, October 2017.
Monitor Deloitte produced a supporting report:
Reference
Mental health and employers: the case for investment. Supporting study for the Independent Review. London: Deloitte LLP (“Deloitte”) / Monitor Deloitte, October 2017.
Possibly also of interest:
Reference
Report calls for better mental health support in the workplace. London: NHS Choices; Behind the Headlines, October 26th 2017.
More on the Business Costs of Mental Health Problems at Work
In September 2017, the Centre for Mental Health published a report indicating mental health problems in the UK workforce may cost employers £35 billion per year; arising from (i) reduced productivity among people who are at work and unwell, so-called “presenteeism” (£21.2 billion per year), (ii) sickness absence (£10.6 billion per year), and (iii) staff turnover (£3.1 billion per year).
Reference
Parsonage, M. [and] Saini, G. (2017). Mental health at work: the business costs ten years on. London: Centre for Mental Health, September 2017.
