Retailers say not enough is being done to support mental health at work

According to a survey of 1,100 UK workers, 75 percent of retail professionals agree that not enough is being done to support mental health at work. The survey, conducted by independent job site CV-Library, revealed that more than half of employees (57.7 percent) have considered resigning from a job due to lack of mental health support. The survey aimed to explore the topic of mental health in the workplace and how well employers support their staff. With 44 percent of retail professionals revealing that aspects of their job can cause them to feel anxious or depressed, the group said “it’s clear that something must be done”. When asked what measures employers can introduce to help support their staff, respondents said: Promote a healthy work-life balance: 40.3 percent Refer employees to a counselling service: 16.7 percent Have an internal counselling service for staff: 15.3 percent Talk more openly about mental health: 12.5 percent Allow them to take time out when they need to: 8.3 percent Furthermore, the majority (77.5 percent) of professionals in the retail sector believe that employers should offer mental health days for staff, with 78 percent agreeing that they’d be more likely to work for a company that did. Some 88 percent also said that they believe that employers should be given training to help them understand mental health and how to help employees who may be suffering. Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, said: “It’s concerning to learn that retail professionals aren’t feeling supported by their employers when it comes to their mental health and it’s clear more needs to be done to tackle this. “It’s a sad reality that mental health problems can affect all areas of life. But if you’re struggling to cope at work, it’s important that you don’t suffer in silence.” He added: “From our data, it’s obvious that there is a deep-rooted stigma around talking about mental health, particularly at work. And it’s clear that retail professionals are reluctant to take days off to look after their mental wellbeing. “But the truth is, you wouldn’t feel bad leaving the office because of a migraine or stomach bug and your mental health shouldn’t be any different.”