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February 18, 2019

While sick leave rates are falling, mental health problems are rising and likely to cost employers and employees £100 billion this year.

Forecasting Eye

 

Many of us will be familiar with the ‘Monday Blues’ – a reluctance to go back to work after the weekend. While tempting, most people won’t call in sick but will actually appear at work. Indeed, the latest ONS figures from 2017 show sickness absence is at its lowest rate on record. This is good news for both employees and the economy.

 

However, there is an increase in the number of workers attributing their absence to mental health problems. In 2017, mental health was one of the leading causes of absence in the workplace across the UK, with 62% of employees saying they had taken a day off in the last year due to anxiety, depression or stress, according to Wildgoose, who specialise in employee engagement.

 

Interestingly, there is variance in the numbers citing mental health as a cause of absence across age groups. ONS figures suggest that the proportion of sick days attributed to mental health problems among 25 to 34 year-olds rose from 7% in 2009 to 10% in 2017. The 2017 figures for other age groups were 9% for 35 to 49 year-olds and 7% for 50 to 64 year-olds.

 

These figures may understate the scale of the problem. Wildgoose found that amongst the respondents who had taken a day off due to anxiety, depression or stress, 44% admitted they had called in citing a different reason and 7% resigned as a result of their symptoms.

 

The jury is out on whether young people are less resilient than their predecessors or whether the stresses of modern employment put more pressure on employees leading to increased mental problems. Possibly both factors apply.

 

Attempts to understand the impact of mental health often centre on the cost to the economy. The OECD estimates that dealing with mental health issues costs the UK economy £94 billion a year.

 

In addition, there is also the negative impact on workers themselves. Of particular concern is the 7% of individuals who resign as a result of their symptoms. We estimate that mental health problems will lead to 378,000 resignations in 2019 generating lost earnings of £8.3 billion for full-time workers. And of course, this just looks at the financial side. Rather more important, although obviously much less easy to quantify, is the misery of the people affected and the pressures they place on family, friends and co-workers.

 

It is well known that mental health problems can be hard to deal with, though medical research is moving fast in increasing its understanding of this area. But the sheer economic cost, quite apart from all the other costs, would justify considerable investment in improving the nation’s mental health and encouraging resilience.

 

Contact: Marina Mensah-Afoakwah

Email: mmensah-afoakwah@cebr.com

Phone: 020 7324 2874

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