Only 39% of businesses think their employee mental health support is fit for modern-day purposes, according to research from consultant Aon.
In fact 28% of firms said they did not believe they supported mental health in a way that fits the modern day, while 33% took a neutral view on their practices in this area.
The research, compiled from the views of 100 UK businesses alongside more than 700 global firms, identified the resilience of workforces, assessed against 10 key attributes set out by the World Health Organization.
Employers were asked to assess their current wellbeing strategy and how successful it was at creating a resilient workforce, and whether they were developing staff financial security, embracing inclusivity, fostering adaptable skills, protecting physical health and delivering clarity and purpose.
Just 37% of firms said they felt they were developing financial security for employees, with half that figure (19%) believing their firm was failing in this area, while a further 44% regarded their practices as neutral.
However, the majority of UK firms stated they were positively embracing inclusivity (58%), delivering clarity and purpose for their employees (67%), and operating a compassionate and engaging community (65%).
Mark Witte, head of health and risk consulting, health solutions UK at Aon, said: “Resilience is the ability to cope with life’s challenges and bounce back from trauma, threats or stress.
“But while organisations are trying to bounce back from Covid-19, the question is whether UK employers are overly focused on where their people will work and failing to consider if they are resilient enough to actually do the work.”
He argued the results of the self-assessment survey showed UK businesses were struggling to balance short- and long-term priorities.
“While many are working out details of a return to the office, people engagement is not faring as well,” Witte continued.
“Mental health support is a key example; though firms are providing mental health resources, the survey reveals that managers are not confident in addressing mental health issues, their tool kits are not targeting underlying health risks, their communication campaigns aren’t effective enough and leadership does not have the metrics to track change.”
