The CIPD has published the findings of its annual health and wellbeing at work survey, which was conducted among HR professionals in March and April 2023.
It found that the average level of employee sickness absence is at its highest level for over a decade at 7.8 days per employee. Covid-19 is the fourth highest reason for short-term absence and 50% of organisations had employees experiencing long Covid in the last 12 months.
Mental health remains the most common focus of wellbeing initiatives, including the use of employee assistance programmes, mental health first aid training, wellbeing champions, access to counselling services and promoting flexible working. Around 76% of organisations reported some stress-related absence, and 78% are proactively seeking to reduce workplace stress.
Presenteeism and leaveism remain widespread with 87% of organisations observing presenteeism (coming to work when unwell) and 63% observing leaveism (using time off, including annual leave, to work or when unwell, or working outside the contracted hours).
The most common challenge for employee wellbeing reported is a lack of skills and confidence among managers. Only 30% of organisations provide guidance or training for managers on how to support people with health conditions to stay in work, and organisations are more likely to train mental health first aiders to support staff with mental ill heath than managers (66% compared to 43%).
Over half of organisations (53%) have a standalone wellbeing strategy, and the number agreeing that wellbeing was on the agenda of senior leaders remains high (69%). Financial wellbeing is receiving increased attention, with 57% of organisations promoting financial wellbeing to a large or moderate extent.
46% of organisations (up from 30% in 2022) include provision for menopause to a large or moderate extent. Nearly a quarter (24%) have a standalone menopause policy, 16% deal with menopause as part of a wider policy and 29% plan to introduce a policy. Up from 26% last year, 37% have provision for pregnancy loss to a large or moderate extent. Only 15% have a policy for menstrual health, but 19% plan to introduce one.
The CIPD's survey of employees revealed that over a quarter reported that their work had a negative impact on their mental health.
To learn more about mental health in the workplace and how to manage it please find the link to our latest Trowers Tuesday here.
