More than two-thirds (68%) of UK workers do not know if their employer offers acccess to an employee assistance programme (EAP), research has found, suggesting that many are failing to follow-up their investment with adequate employee communication, promotion and engagement.
The TELUS Mental Health Index, an online survey of 2,000 UK employees, also found that 33% of respondents remained at high ‘mental health risk’, 16% reported experiencing anxiety, 12% depression and 6% sleep disorders. Fewer than one in 10 (7%) reported engaging in activities that promoted social wellbeing.
Conversely, employers that encouraged and supported their workers to be more physically active saw significant gains in productivity, equating to as much as 12 extra days at work a year, the survey argued. Nevertheless, 11% of respondents admitted to never engaging in physical activity.
The index highlighted the links between financial and mental wellbeing. Employees without emergency funds were twice as likely to seek stress reduction support, more than three times as likely to report anxiety, and four times as likely to report being diagnosed with depression, it found.
As well as percentages, the index evaluated respondents on a points-based scoring system, with higher point values being associated with better mental health and less mental health risk.
Scores of between 0 to 49 corresponded with ‘distress’ levels, scores between 50 to 79 with ‘strain’ levels and scores between 80 to 100 with optimal levels of mental health.
Workers dissatisfied with their physical health scored 25 points lower in terms of their mental health than satisfied workers. These workers also lost an additional 23 working days in productivity annually.
Staff uninterested in improving their health lost 20 more work days in productivity annually than those who were motivated to do so.
Workers who felt their employer was not doing enough to support their physical wellbeing lost 28 more work days of productivity annually and scored 16 points lower in mental health than those motivated. In fact, the mental health scores of workers who did not know whether their employer offered an EAP were at least three points lower than workers who knew they could access such support.
“There is a clear link between physical activity, employer support and employee wellbeing,” said Paula Allen, global leader, research and client insights at TELUS Health.
“This underscores the need for organisations to prioritise wellbeing as a strategic pillar of business success. By integrating robust support systems like EAPs and physical health and wellbeing programmes into workplace culture, companies can create a more resilient, engaged and productive workforce,” she added.
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