The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions and changes to working conditions has led to a huge impact on HR teams and how employers support their workforce.
Shropshire-based My Occ Health is now working with a number of HR and line managers to ensure employee counselling is available to all those who need it.
But Dr Joe Pearson, Occupational Physician and Medical Director at My Occ Health, said employers are still often focusing on the treatment of mental health issues, rather than bringing in practices to prevent problems arising.
He said: “We know that poor mental health is now the biggest cause of working days lost through sickness and absence and costs employers up to £42 billion a year.
“The number of employees reporting mental health issues continues to rise rapidly and we believe that acknowledgement and early intervention is key – employers do not need to be afraid to be gently proactive.
“Employee counselling interventions have been found to reduce sickness absence rates in organisations by as much as 50 per cent because those who access prompt support of this kind are far more likely to recover quickly and be happy and healthy in their role.”
My Occ Health has been working with employers for more than 12 years on full support from referral to treatment and recommendations as to how employers support employees returning to work but the company has now taken extra steps to meet the needs of businesses in 2021.
“We are able to offer one to one counselling for employees without the wait, and it is not only for those employees who are already experiencing issues,” adds Dr Pearson.
“We chatted with an employer about an employee who lost their mother to cancer and never fully recovered, eventually leaving the organisation – but they were aware in advance this was going to happen and had they provided counselling and support to the employee in the months leading up to her mother’s death, and then again as she returned to work, it may have been a different story.
“There are many things that can be put in place from counselling to a buddy system, where another team member provides time and is accessible to support another employee returning to work after illness.
“As well as supporting staff through difficult periods like grief or personal trauma, we can also provide regular healthchecks so employees are monitored and any issues can be caught at a really early stage.”
Nearly half of all businesses in the UK are now considering some sort of improvement or addition to their workplace health offering, including mental health and stress management services.
For more information on what My Occ Health can offer visit https://www.myocchealth.co.uk/.
