The health insurance and protection industry is to put even more effort into tackling mental health issues in the workplace.
This follows the launch of a campaign in June by the mental health charity, Mind, called ‘Taking care of business’, backed by nine leading health insurance and protection providers, which aims to encourage UK plc to create mentally healthy workplaces.
Mind has now launched an employer’s guide to mental health in the workplace which is supported by income protection provider Friends Provident . It has been estimated that up to one in four people will suffer from mental-ill heath in their lifetime.
Declan White, group risk marketing manager at Friends Provident, said that mental health conditions account for about 29 per cent of the insurer’s group income protection (GIP) claims. He indicated that the current economic climate and unemployment rate could result in more mental health issues in the workplace as employees face pressure to cover work left by those made redundant .