Health benefits keep staff in work

Health benefits keep staff in work

Around 11% of employees were off sick with mental health-related illnesses in the last year, says research from Simplyhealth among 2,000 UK workers and 500 HR managers.

Minor illnesses and muscle or joint pain were more common as causes of absence, but these were typically for only one or two days at most. For mental health issues, 27% were taking two weeks or more — a significant difference in terms of the impact on workplaces, co-workers and management.

What makes the difference

A key finding from the study was how HR had seen the impact of EAP services and other health benefits. Around half of the HR managers offering particular wellbeing benefits claimed they had seen lower levels of absence.

In spite of this evidence, the researchers also found that only 40% of those surveyed overall said they offered an EAP or health plan.

Catching early

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “EAPs help prevent minor worries about mental health turning into more serious and long-lasting conditions. So it’s important that as many employees are possible have access to these kinds of independent services, so they can raise  issues as early as possible, and not only have to use an EAP for access to counselling.

“Given the potential for stress and anxiety to turn into substantial periods of absence, dwarfing the impact from minor illnesses, there is a clear business case for investment into health benefits that pre-empt problems, that are preventative rather than leading to clinical interventions.”