Employees embarrassed to admit mental health issues

Nearly two-thirds of staff fear bosses would judge them if they opened up over mental health problems

Nearly two-thirds (60.2 per cent) of employees feel embarrassed about disclosing information on the state of their mental health with their employer – and what’s more, 60.8 per cent feel they cannot talk about it with their boss.

That’s according to new research from independent job CV-Library, whose report explored the views of 1,200 UK workers.

The report also found that a third of professionals (31.7 per cent) feel that their workplace is not supportive of mental health, with a further 77.8 per cent believing that the majority of workplaces in the UK are unsupportive.

Nearly two-thirds (64.2 per cent) of workers said they feared their employer would judge them if they spoke about their mental health issues, with a further 46.8 per cent worrying that doing so would make them look weak.

One third (36.7 per cent), meanwhile, fear they would get fired if they told their boss about their mental health issues.

What’s more, 63 per cent said they would feel guilty taking time off work for mental health reasons.

“Mental health in the workplace continues to be a hot topic, and this is because it is clearly not being dealt with effectively,” says Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library.

“We are a nation that is under more pressure than ever before and therefore it’s unsurprising that people will be feeling the effects whilst at work.

“Businesses should prioritise creating a culture where openness and honesty are encouraged.

“In turn, this will ensure that workers feel comfortable confiding in their boss, making coming to work that little bit less stressful.”

With 70.7 per cent of workers admitting that their mental health issues impact their working life, it’s clear that employers need to do more to help make the working day easier for people.

When asked what measures they thought employers should introduce to help combat mental health in the workplace, respondents cited the following:

1. Promote a healthy work/life balance (38.6 per cent).

2. Create an environment where mental health is not stigmatised (15 per cent).

3. Refer employees to a counselling service (13.7 per cent).

4. Talk more openly about mental health (11.9 per cent).

5. Allow employees to take time out when they need to (8.6 per cent).

“We are a nation that is under more pressure than ever before and therefore it’s unsurprising that people will be feeling the effects whilst at work”

Lee Biggins CV Library