EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH MUST BE A CULTURAL PRIORITY ACROSS BUSINESSES AS OFFICES REOPEN ON MONDAY

With lockdown rules to end on Monday, the 19th of July, and as we approach the final easing of COVID-19 restrictions, many offices are reopening.

Dr. Oliver Harrison, CEO of Koa Health, a digital mental healthcare provider, believes that employee mental health must be a cultural priority across businesses as offices reopen their doors.

“As the UK vaccine programme progresses and we approach the final easing of COVID-19 restrictions in both England and Scotland, many offices are re-opening their doors. In preparation, businesses are working hard nationwide to make offices physically “COVID-secure” to ensure those returning face the lowest risk possible to their physical health,” he said.

Harrison continues: “However, with our recent research finding that over 40% of businesses say mental health is not a cultural priority for them, there’s a risk that employers won’t do enough to support employees’ mental wellbeing as they return to the workplace.  While getting back to ‘normal’ may help improve mental health for some people, more than a third of employees are nervous about the switch.

Having scrambled to pull together mental health resources over the lockdown phase, now is the time for employers to consider quality, scalability and business ROI – to build back better in the mental health support they provide. At this critical moment, support for employee mental health must be as natural as ensuring employee physical health and safety. If we don’t do this properly, mental health risks slow business recovery.  The opportunity for businesses across the UK is great.”