Putting it on paper- A clearer company policy on mental health

It is estimated that 40% of days off work are accounted for by mental health problems, at a cost of £8.4bn a year  
http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/group-risk/article364161.ece?page=1

 £15.1bn Reduced productivity at work

£8.4bn Sickness absence
£2.4bn Staff turnover
(From The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health)

 And interestingly 40% of the population are affected by back pain.

Sickness absence due to back and neck pain alone accounts for a loss of £100 million (1.2 million working days) a year, in small and medium sized businesses.
http://www.regency-clinic.co.uk/corporate-back-care.asp
  Sound very similar on paper don’t they?

However back and neck pain are acknowledged by companies as causing great losses and companies have endeavored to provide some kind of  good working practice guide for employees for reducing both physical complaints within their workforce as a consequence, however it seems that mental health is still on the back burner. (see last post).

 As suggested by Aviva no less

http://www.hi-mag.com/health-insurance/product-area/group-risk/article364161.ece?page=1

A scheme similar to the ones companies apply to the problem of back and neck pain focused on good mental health in the workplace could and would have thought would be an essential part of business.

A scheme that would raise of awareness about issues relating to mental health for all, that would open avenues of discussion for the workforce, promote awareness of whom to contact should an employee have problems and lastly a treatment aspect where employees can openly and without prejudice discuss their treatment plans and prospects of return to work, would greatly aid both the employer and the employee? However it seems that companies are reluctant to even have a clear mental health policy at work let alone this type of scheme. Maybe it’s time for them to put past prejudices aside and start realising their employee assets and help them maintain mental good health.