Wellbeing | Mental health: Is your data a true reflection of reality?

By Kay Needle, Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Expert at Generali UK Employee Benefits

While mental ill health continues to represent the top contributor to long-term absence in the UK, it’s our view that the data doesn’t always represent a true reflection of reality.

In our experience, HR systems – specifically absence platforms – have traditionally placed everything ‘mental health’ into the one ‘mental ill health’ category. But almost 7 in 10 of our early intervention referrals last year due to mental health were work-related. In other words, ‘non-medical’ stress as opposed to mental illness (more on this later). And that can be solved. So, where should employers start?

To help answer this question, we recently hosted a webinar for HR professionals, with special guest speaker Dr Victoria Parlane, Chartered Psychologist at Teladoc Health UK, the provider of Virtual GP, Mental Health and Second Medical Opinion services to the employees of Generali UK’s policyholders.*