Wellbeing | 40m work days lost per year due to poor mental health

Mental health has been a point of discussion among HR leaders for some time, as employees are encouraged to speak openly about their struggles, particularly during the pandemic - in which many have suffered from additional stress and anxiety.

Now, new research has found that more than 11million UK working adults have taken time off work for poor mental health, costing businesses around 40million working days each year.

This is according to research by not-for-profit healthcare provider Benenden Health, which found that 35% of UK employees took time off work due to poor mental health in 2019, with staff absent for up to two to five days on average.

While the research asked workers to consider the impact of their mental health throughout their working life, rather than solely during the current crisis, over half of respondents cited that they were honest with their employer about why they took time off. However, three in ten claimed they had a physical issue, while 24% said they took annual leave instead to avoid any questions or embarrassment.