The importance UK firms place on mental health is a sign of the country’s success in normalising mental health issues and the impact of Covid, according to Mercer Marsh Benefits.
The consultant’s report Turning people risk into a business opportunity found UK employers believed deteriorating mental health was the biggest concern for theier business, followed by cybersecurity, talent attraction and diversity and inclusion.
This was in stark contrast to global results, where firms ranked cybersecurity, talent attraction and data privacy as top concerns, with deteriorating mental health only ranking sixth most important.
The report contains findings from a global survey of more than 1,300 HR and risk management professionals who were asked to rank the top threats to their business.
Chris Bailey, UK and Ireland consulting leader at Mercer Marsh Benefits spoke to Health & Protection following the publication of the findings.
He believed the results indicated a step-change in the UK through businesses and wider society, but also the trials over the last 18 months.
Bailey told Health & Protection the UK had made great progress in normalising mental health issues, and in accepting mental health as being just as important as physical health.
“The findings here suggest that the greater awareness within the UK, coupled with the very specific impact on mental health that the multiple Covid lockdowns have had in this country, means that mental health is the most important in employers concerns,” he added.