Mental ill health taking its toll
And more than a third of those impacted are likely to quit their job in the next 12 months, according to new research from the CIPD.
The CIPD’s annual Working Lives Scotland report analyses the day-to-day experiences of over 1,000 Scottish workers. The findings from the latest report highlight the urgent need for organisations to prioritise good people management and employee wellbeing, with high workloads, stress and exhaustion among the contributing factors negatively impacting workers health.
Over the past 12-months close to half (48%) of Scottish workers have experienced some form of physical health condition, whilst 44% have experienced a mental health condition.
Those who say work has a negative impact on their mental health also report significantly lower job satisfaction (34%) than those who said work has a positive impact on their mental health (95%).
The CIPD’s findings are published as the UK government seeks to understand how to keep more people healthy and in work through its Keep Britain Working review, in the context of rising health-related economic inactivity.
According to figures from the Scottish Government, around 800,000 people in Scotland aged 16 to 64 are currently not in in work and are economically inactive; many due to long-term sickness or disability.
In response to the findings in the report, the CIPD is calling on employers to prioritise providing line managers with the development and support they need to manage people well, given their central role in managing workloads and stress and providing flexibility and support to staff.
Marek Zemanik, senior public policy advisor for the UK nations at the CIPD commented: “Work should always be a force for good, so it's deeply concerning to find that it is negatively affecting many people’s health and that a significant number are likely to quit their job as a result.
“This points to a real need to address the root causes, including poor line management, which can contribute to excessive workloads and people feeling under excessive pressure at work.
“Employers need to equip their managers with the right training, time, and resources to be able to identify issues early on, and support staff effectively. Without this, efforts by the Government to improve workforce wellbeing will be undermined. Good people management isn’t optional - it’s essential for a healthy, sustainable and productive workforce.”
Further findings in the CIPD report underscore the urgent need for employers to prioritise investing in good people management, revealing many managers in Scotland currently lack either the training or the time needed to manage staff effectively:
One in five (20%) of those with management responsibilities said they do not receive the training and information needed to manage staff effectively.
21% of line managers reported not having enough time to dedicate to managing their teams properly.
