For all the pain that the pandemic caused, the realisation that mental health is an issue we all need to be talking about, is a positive one. For once, we could see each other struggling – employees, managers, directors – no one was exempt.
So, what’s the situation now? In December 2022 we commissioned a survey of over 500 employees in medium or large organisations across Ireland, to assess the state of their mental health and wellbeing, and how supported they felt at work. In parallel, we conducted 10 in-depth interviews with HR managers of companies with 500+ employees, as well as a number of wellness experts.
Looking at the results it’s not all bad news. Yet, despite this, the prevalence of mental health problems at work is still high. Our survey revealed that over 6 in 10 employees had felt down, depressed, or hopeless for several days or more in the two weeks preceding the research. But, while many employers express a desire to tackle the issue of workplace mental health, there is more to be done.
In the second part of the whitepaper we lay out 7 steps to building a mental health strategy. With input from Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School, as well as other business leaders and wellbeing experts, this can be your guide to buildign a healthier, more sustainable and productive workplace.
