64% of staff fear managers won't spot poor mental health

Two-thirds of employees are concerned that their managers would not spot the signs of poor mental health, research has revealed.

A poll of more than 2,000 people working at organisations across the UK, commissioned by the South Westminster Business Alliance, found that 64% had little faith in their bosses to identify the issue.

Seven in 10 believe their managers would benefit from training to increase their awareness of mental health problems.

However, in a separate poll overseen by the Alliance, a fifth of managers said supporting employee mental health was not a priority for their organisation this year.

And this is despite 78% of 501 bosses surveyed admitting they struggle to spot the signs of poor mental health among their staff.

Meanwhile supporting research from King’s College London and the South Westminster Business Alliance found that hybrid working can exacerbate employees’ wellness challenges.

Seven in 10 workers in the capital polled for this report said splitting their duties between home and an organisational office meant difficulties were easier to hide, while 67% stated that any challenges experienced were less apparent as a result.

Meanwhile, 90% agreed that there are more mental health difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Ruth Duston, chief executive of the South Westminster Business Alliance, said businesses had shown resolve in spite of ongoing uncertainty, false starts and numerous knock backs over the past two years.

She explained that employers should draw their attention to supporting staff as the workforce represents the backbone of communities and the UK economy.

“The reality is that employers must prioritise mental health and wellbeing," said Duston.

"It begins with the creation of open, inclusive dialogue so that staff can feel that they can express their worries. From there, businesses must build and refine their mental health offering and have buy-in from all levels of the organisation.”