Ahead of Samaritans’ Awareness Day on Monday 24 July, the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, has found that a third (32%) of HR professionals say their organisation does not provide an employee support helpline. The survey was taken by 695 HR professionals on 19th July 2017.
Commenting on the results, Rachel Suff, Employment Relations Advisers at the CIPD, said:
“The Samaritans’ National Awareness Day is an important opportunity for employers to think about how they provide mental health support in the workplace. While our poll of HR professionals found that almost two-thirds (64%) of organisations provide an employee support helpline, a third (32%) said they don’t provide one, potentially leaving individuals in need of support with nowhere to turn.
“Employers have a vital role to play in supporting people’s mental health. The Samaritans say that, every six seconds, someone contacts the charity, and every 90 minutes someone takes their own life. The latest CIPD/Simplyhealth Absence management survey found that two in five (41%) employers had identified an increase in reported mental health problems over the past few months. As many people with a mental health condition don’t feel confident enough to disclose it at work, the issue is likely to be even more significant than the statistics suggest.
“While less than half of employees feel confident disclosing stress or mental health problems to their employer, it is clear there is some way to go before most organisations develop an effective framework to support people’s mental health at work. The stigma and fear that can make it hard for someone to speak up if they are feeling mentally unwell or suicidal mean that providing assistance such as an employee support helpline could literally act as a lifeline for people feeling particularly vulnerable and alone.”
You can call the Samaritans free from any phone, at any time, on 116 123.
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