New research spotlights prevalence, stigma, and best practices
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
A new report from Unum
(NYSE: UNM), a leading provider of employee benefits, reveals that just
25 percent of managers in the U.S. have received training on how to
refer employees to mental health resources, and more than half of people
are unsure how they would help a colleague who came to them with a
mental health issue.
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“The development, implementation, and promotion of mental health
strategies has become a top priority for many of today’s employers,”
said Michelle Jackson, assistant vice president of market development at
Unum. “Creating a workplace culture that promotes mental health
resources and encourages employees to take advantage of them helps to
destigmatize mental health issues and leads to a happier, more
productive workforce.”
Available now at Unum.com/mentalhealth,
the Unum report, “Strong Minds at Work,” details recent survey data from
human resources professionals; adult workers in the U.S.; workers with a
diagnosed mental health issue; and insight from mental health
professionals and industry-leading research organizations.
Some key findings include:
-
Mental illness is one of the top causes of worker disability in the
U.S., and 62 percent of missed work days can be attributed to mental
health conditions
-
55 percent of employees said their employer did not have, or they were
unsure if their employer had, a specific program, initiative, or
policy in place to address mental health
-
76 percent of employees were confident their managers were properly
trained on how to identify employees who may be having a mental health
issue, while just 16 percent of HR professionals felt the same
-
92 percent of employees said they thought their employer’s managers
were trained on how to refer employees to mental health resources,
while just 25 percent of HR professionals said their managers are
provided that training
-
Among employees with a mental health issue, 42 percent have come to
work with suicidal feelings
-
61 percent of employees feel there’s a social stigma in the workplace
towards colleagues with mental health issues; half of them feel that
stigma has stayed the same or worsened in the previous five years
Beyond exploring extensive feedback from employees and HR professionals,
the report also offers clear recommendations for employers on how to
support employees with mental health issues and how to create a
stigma-free workplace culture. Additional resources on mental health,
caregiving and leave management can be found on the Unum website.
ABOUT UNUM GROUP
Unum
Group is a leading provider of financial protection benefits in the
United States and the United Kingdom and the leading provider of
disability income protection in the world. Its businesses are Unum US,
Colonial Life, Unum UK, and Unum Poland. Unum’s portfolio includes
disability, life, accident and critical illness, dental and vision
coverage, which help protect millions of working people and their
families in the event of an illness or injury. Unum also provides
stop-loss coverage to help self-insured employers protect against
unanticipated medical costs. The company reported revenues of $11.6
billion in 2018, and provided $7.2 billion in benefits.
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005079/en/
Brad Carmony 423-294-5238
Toll free: 866-850-8686
Bcarmony@unum.com
Source: Unum Group