Employees with mental health conditions are waiting ‘too long’ to get workplace support and necessary adjustments from their employers, according to a new study carried out by the Business Disability Forum.
Whilst a third (35%) of employees had received their adjustments within a month of requesting them, two thirds (63%) had to wait longer, reveals the report The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2019. Almost three in ten were waiting more than six months for their adjustments to be put in place, of which, 8% had been waiting over two years.
POTENTIAL DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS
Commenting on the survey results, Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, stated: “It is very concerning that some people with mental health conditions are having to wait so long for adjustments to be put in place. Such delays could negatively impact on a person’s ability to carry out their job as well as having a detrimental effect on their mental health.”
Adjustments must not be viewed as ‘a nice to have’ but an ‘essential’ part of looking after staff and creating a ‘happy, healthy and productive’ workforce, said Lightfoot. “We urge all businesses to review their processes to ensure that colleagues receive the adjustments they need as quickly as possible,” she added.
TOP WORKPLACE ADJUSTMENTS
According to the report, 65% of respondents with mental health conditions had some workplace adjustments in place. The most commonly requested adjustments were flexible working (56%), time off to attend appointments or therapies (46%), working from home (44%) and equipment to support associated physical pain and discomfort (44%).
Whilst 44% of respondents said that they had all the adjustments they needed, 27% had requested other or alternative adjustments that were not yet in place. Around 55% with adjustments also reported difficulties with the process.
However, 29% decided not to request adjustments because they were worried that employers/colleagues might treat them differently.
Photo Credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.
ADJUSTMENT BENEFITS
Of those respondents with adjustments in place, 92% agreed that their adjustments had tackled some or all of the barriers they faced at work, 83% agreed their adjustments had helped them stay in their job, and two thirds (63%) said that they enjoyed their job more thanks to the adjustments.
“Our findings show the huge benefits that adjustments can bring both for individuals and for the organisations which employ them; breaking down workplace barriers, helping people to remain in employment and making working life generally more enjoyable,” explained Lightfoot.
The Business Disability Forum released the findings to mark Mental Health Awareness Week and to highlight the need for businesses to take action to better support colleagues with mental health needs in the workplace.
The report is a comprehensive study of disability and long-term conditions based on the views of over 1,200 employees and managers working with adjustments.
To find out more about The Great Big Adjustments Survey 2019, click here.
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