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When it comes to action, there are too few employers who act
on the maxim that 'good health equals good business' - and
even fewer who recognise the importance of mental health.
But there are compelling business arguments for a positive,
inclusive approach to mental health issues in the workplace:
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Gaining important skills. The fact
that people with mental health problems have to manage
their own mental health in a hostile world means that
they often have particular skills - such as problem solving,
tenacity, diplomacy and creativity. |
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Reducing absence. Workplace stress
is a major cause of absenteeism, and the links between
mental health and stress are clear. Constructive and sensitive
stress and mental health management can have a significant
effect on absenteeism - and thus on the bottom line. |
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Creating better workplace relations.
Awareness, communication and openness on mental health
issues can have an important impact on creating a positive
climate of understanding and support, and on overall workplace
relations. |
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Enhancing productivity and motivation.
Staff will feel valued and secure if their organisation
demonstrates a commitment to their well-being. Better
workplace relations are clearly linked to increased efficiency,
effectiveness and, in turn, improved morale. |
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Employing the best person for the job.
Skills shortages are a major issue for employers in competitive
employment markets. Widening your pool of potential recruits
as far as possible makes good business sense. |
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Retaining knowledge and skills. Once
you've recruited the best person for the job, you need
to make the most of your investment of time and resources
in building their knowledge and skills. |
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Creating acceptance and diversity.
Most progressive companies accept that aiming for a workforce
which reflects the community in which you operate is a
basic building block in building social responsibility,
and any approach to equal opportunities and diversity. |
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Making your workplace more efficient.
The process of thinking about making adjustments for employees
with a mental health problem can generate helpful internal
reviews, more flexible working patterns, and more effective
workplace systems and procedures for employees as a whole.
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Complying with the Disability Discrimination
Act and your 'duty of care. Simply put, you will now
foul of the law if you fail to recognise the mental health
needs of your staff. It's also important to remember your
'duty of care' - particularly in the context of exponentially
rising levels of workplace stress, which is often a first
step towards developing more serious mental health problems.
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Currently, six out of seven people with mental health problems
are unable to get work - and in a survey in 1996, over 30%
of respondents with mental health problems said they had been
dismissed or forced to resign. In today's job market, this
is absurd. For anyone with a concern for the health and performance
of their employees - or indeed their business as a whole -
it should be completely unacceptable. Making mental health
your business makes very good business sense.
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