Mental health is one of the last remaining taboos in the workplace. Yet one in six workers in the U.K. experience depression, anxiety or stress which is a significant portion of the workforce. It also appears as if attitudes towards mental health in the workplace remain in the dark ages: 56% of employers say they wouldn’t hire someone with depression, according to a mental health report published this year.
H.R. plays a critical role in tackling the stigma surrounding mental health as well as supporting employees with existing mental health conditions. But it appears as if the H.R. profession often find themselves in the role of mental health counselors, according to research by MetLife employee benefits. It puts too much pressure on the H.R. profession to act as mental health counselors, argues Rachel Suff, public policy adviser, employee relations for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. “If you have an existing mental health condition in the workplace, then you need specialist support such as counseling through an employee assistance program or advice from a mental health charity.”
[For more of this story, written by Karen Higginbottom, go to http://www.forbes.com/sites/ka...kplace/#560a09a44b32]
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