According to research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, one in four individuals in the UK workforce have experienced a mental health problem at some point during employment.
However, very few employers have taken action to manage this important issue, with many workers still feeling afraid to speak out before their problems escalate into long term absence.
The results of the survey showed that only 25% of the 2,000 employees that were surveyed said their employers encouraged openness regarding mental health problems and only four in 10 said they would feel comfortable opening up about a problem if they had one.
Mental health related absences cost the economy an estimated £8.4bn per year and there is lots more that employers could be doing in order to both reduce this cost and to increase workplace productivity.
Potential solutions which have been suggested include a temporary reduction in hours, or flexi-time if employees have experienced personal issues such as a bereavement or relationship breakdown.
If either yourself or someone you know are suffering from poor mental health and/or stress and it is effecting your ability to perform your job role then your first port of call should be your GP who will be able to provide you with appropriate advice about the best treatment avenue for you.
Hypnotherapy has long since been used as an alternative therapy for mental health problems such as depression and stress reduction. It can either be used alone, or alongside conventional medical treatment. To find out how it could help you, please visit our fact-sheets to find out more.
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