What are the implications of Get Britain Working for the mental health agenda?

What are the implications of Get Britain Working for the mental health agenda?

A £240 million initiative, Get Britain Working has a target of an 80% employment, getting more young people, people with disabilities, and those with long-term health conditions back into the workforce and contributing to the economy.

The white paper — due to lead to a raft of policy innovations and projects in the coming year — has come in the wake of increases in the number of economically inactive people, now up to nine million, with 2.8 million not working because of a long-term sickness. Last year, 53% of these pointed to problems with mental health as the main reasons — a 40% increase from 2019.

Demands on employers

A consultation will include talking to employers, employees, trade unions and those with health conditions. But the expectation is that employers generally will be expected to play an even larger role in creating a ‘healthy’ work environment, and one that’s accessible to more people with different kinds of health conditions, including mental health issues: flexible working practices and supportive line managers.

The planned ‘connect to work’ scheme, for example, will offer voluntary employment opportunities to people with disabilities, health conditions or complex barriers to work, supporting up to 100,000 people a year at full rollout.

EAP partners

EAPA UK chair, Karl Bennett said: “Next year will see a sharp focus on work and mental health. How can workplaces be a positive force for both the existing workforce and for getting more people with long-term illnesses back into jobs.

“Supporting mental health, of course, isn’t something that comes with making ‘reasonable adjustments’. There has to be trust and a sense of psychological safety among people often dealing with difficult and complex combinations of issues around health and finances and relationships.

“HR teams need to be looking at how their EAP provider can step up with them to understand the challenges faced by the different demographic groups, the causes of stress, and the ways to find the best balance between support and flexibility, and the need for challenge and rewards.”