Male employees increasingly seeking mental health support

The latest research into the workforce in the UK has found that mental health issues are a primary concern for male employees, and a significant percentage want employers to do more.

This research was carried out by Bupa, a company that offers private healthcare. It is called the Bupa Wellbeing Index, and the results make for striking reading. 43.2% of the male employees that took part in the survey said that they wanted greater help from their employers when it comes to mental health issues. That amounts to two out of every five.

What the research also shows is the scale of the problem that mental health issues present to the UK workforce. 50% of the men who responded said that they had faced mental health difficulties either in the past or right now.

21% said that they were due to problems in personal relationships; 20% cited job dissatisfaction; 25% named past traumas as the cause; and 27% said that it was due to low self-confidence.

Furthermore, 65% told the Bupa study that UK workplaces are not receptive to people having mental health challenges. This is something that requires a change in the national working culture, which HR departments can lead on. Bringing in outsourced HR consultancy services may help to make the process smoother.

There are some steps that employers can take to improve their response to this issue. One is to encourage a better work/life balance, with no emails sent after work hours and breaks during the day. Another is to support employees in getting professional help.