With the increasing awareness around mental wellbeing and the focus during the first Wednesday in November on this specifically, it is important to acknowledge individuals react differently to varying levels of pressure. For some it spurs them on and for others it can damage their mental wellbeing. For an Employer this can mean suffering with their Employees being absent from work, reduced productivity or the loss of a valued and skilled colleague. In fact,the Mental Health Foundation state that up to 70 million working days are lost each year costing businesses £2.4 billion per year.
Depending on how long and the severity of the individual’s reaction to stress and their mental health they could be protected by the Equality Act 2010 if they are considered disabled. In this case Employers have an obligation to make reasonable. The extent of the adjustments must be reasonable to that Employer and factors such as cost can betaken into consideration to determine whether this is reasonable.
Even if the employee is not considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010, the Employer should consider making reasonable adjustments to help the individual recover quicker and thus avoid absences and continue to add value to the organisation.
Reasonable adjustments can include practical measures such as altering their working pattern so they can perhaps avoid the rush hours,perhaps working a shorter week to enable time off to enjoy time off and recharge.
We always encourage good clear and regular communication with your Employee to ask them what would work for them, how they believe they could be supported to get better. If necessary, you may also need to obtain medical advice either from the GP or via Occupation Health who can advise on what other reasonable adjustments the individual is capable of.
There are a number of organisations that provide support to businesses to help equip them to manage stress better. Resources are available from:
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