Worker mental health is on the decline and shows no sign of slowing, with employees taking more mental health days off over each of the past four years.
Recent surveys and research have shown workers show a worrying increase in the number of employees who report taking a day off work for mental health. 2016 research by Mental Health UK found that 20% of working adults have taken at least one day off for mental health due to stress or burnout
The ongoing cost of living crisis is translating into a mental health recession, with workers feeling the strain mentally as well as financially. The research reveals that financial worries, anxiety about the future and burnout were the top three issues impacting mental health. In this bitesize blog, we break down the research and explore what employers can do to help.
UK workers are taking more days off work for mental health
40% of employees took time off due to mental health in 2022 – and the number of mental health days they’re taking has been gradually increasing since our first study in 2019.
Last year, the average employee reported taking 4.8 days of mental health absence, accounting for employees taking approximately one working week off work. In 2022, our survey showed that 10% of workers say they took more than 10 days off due to poor mental health in 2022, signalling a pattern of either recurring absences.
Average number of days taken off work for mental health by UK employees each year:
- 2020 – 3.19 days
- 2021 – 3.36 days
- 2022 – 4.80 days
- 2023 – 7.8 days
- 2024 – 9.0 days
- 2025 – 9.4 days
How much do mental health absences cost UK businesses?
In 2022, mental health absences cost UK businesses £18bn. Coupled with the impact of poor mental health on productivity and morale, the true cost to businesses could be even higher.
In fact, more than half of workers report that their mental health takes a toll on their productivity while they’re at work — a common symptom of presenteeism.
- 51% of UK employees say their mental health has affected their productivity in the past year.
- 46% of workers use the wellbeing support offered by their employer.
- 32% of people say they still don’t have access to wellbeing support at work.
The mental health crisis continues to accelerate.
Almost 30% of workers feel their mental health got worse in 2022. Out of this 30%, financial worries were reported as one of the top causes, with 43% of people saying this was a source of stress for them.
The most common reasons for poor mental health in 2022 were:
- Financial worries – 43%
- Anxiety about the future – 37%
- Feeling burnt out – 30%
- Work stress – 27%
- Stress outside of work – 24%
To break the cycle, business leaders and managers must work together to step in and provide meaningful mental health support.
Tackle mental health in your workplace with Westfield Health resources
Our latest web report includes a variety of resources for managers to tackle stress and burnout in the workplace. We offer tips to help leaders build a culture of wellbeing that supports their people’s health. View the report: Understanding the Mental Health Puzzle here.
The idea of employers being involved in mental health might be an uncomfortable one, but it makes good business sense for them to offer support at a time when the NHS is struggling, and absenteeism due to mental health is rising.Dave Capper – CEO, Westfield Health