Accountancy Age put out a survey to its audience last month to ask about their thoughts and experiences around mental health at work.
We found that, while there were some positive results with attitudes towards mental health improving, there is still work to do to ensure mental health is treated on par with physical health, and no-one feels marginalised or shunned because of their mental health.
Key trends
1. Mental health is no longer a taboo in most workplaces, but there is still more to be done
Out of the survey respondents, 22% said they would not feel comfortable disclosing a mental illness to their place of work.
2. Senior leadership can be very influential in changing attitudes towards mental health at work
Almost three quarters (74%) of survey respondents said that if leaders shared their own mental health experiences, this would make them feel so much more comfortable in talking about it themselves.
3. Having a mental illness while working can feel lonely
Over half of respondents said a mental health condition had made them feel isolated at work at some point.
4. An overwhelming majority of people feel regularly stressed at work
This figure amounts to 77% of respondents, with 64% saying they would tell management if they were often feeling stressed.
5. Work-life balance is important, but many of us aren’t finding it
Unfortunately 83% of respondents have, at some point, sacrificed their wellbeing or happiness for the sake of their work
