Mental Health Training Linked to Improved Business PerformanceMental Health Training Linked to Improved Business Performance Research from the University of Nottingham reveals a strong correlation between mental health training for line managers and enhanced business outcomes. The study, published in *PLOS ONE*, suggests that such training can lead to: * Improved Recruitment and Retention: Reduced turnover and increased employee satisfaction * Enhanced Customer Service: Improved interactions with customers * Lower Long-Term Sickness Absence: Reduced absences due to mental health issues Benefits for Employers In the UK alone, mental health problems account for significant costs to employers, estimated at over £50 billion annually. Mental health training for line managers aims to provide them with the skills to support employee well-being, ultimately benefiting businesses by: * Reducing absenteeism * Boosting productivity * Improving employee morale Study Findings Researchers analyzed data from thousands of businesses in England, controlling for factors such as company size and industry. They found that companies offering mental health training to line managers experienced: * Improved financial performance * Increased employee engagement * Enhanced productivity Recommendations Based on their findings, the researchers recommend that organizations: * Provide mental health training to line managers * Implement clear policies outlining the role of line managers in supporting employee mental health * Invest in further research to explore different approaches to delivering training By investing in mental health support for employees, businesses can reap significant benefits in terms of improved performance, productivity, and employee well-being.
Mental health training has a strong link with improved business performance, and could save businesses millions of pounds in lost sick days each year, according to new research led by experts at the University of Nottingham.
The results of the study, which were published in PLOS ONE, showed a strong link between mental health training for line managers and improved recruitment and retention of staff, better customer service and lower levels of long-term sickness absence due to mental health problems.
The research was led by Professor Holly Blake from the School of Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham and Dr Juliet Hassard from Queen’s University Belfast.
Professor Blake said: “Mental health issues at work are costly to organisations in terms of absenteeism and lost productivity. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that training line managers in mental health is linked to improved business performance. This is an important finding that strengthens the business case for why employers should invest in mental health at work.”
In the UK, one in six employees experience mental health problems, with 12.7% of all sick days attributed to mental health problems. The estimated cost of poor employee mental health to UK employers is over £50 billion each year.
Mental health training for line managers aims to give them the skills to support the mental health of the people they manage. There is ongoing research into whether such training increases the knowledge, skills and confidence of managers to support their staff and benefits employees. However, few studies have investigated the potential business value for companies.
To investigate the benefits, the group of researchers analysed anonymised survey data from several thousand businesses in England, collected between 2020 and 2023 by Warwick Business School’s Enterprise Research Centre, as part of a larger programme of research into mental health and workplace productivity. The survey included questions about the companies’ mental health and wellbeing practices, including whether they offered mental health training to line managers. To avoid bias in their analysis, the researchers statistically controlled for the age, sector and size of the companies.
The results suggest that mental health training for line managers can have strategic business value for companies. Based on their findings, the researchers recommend that organizations provide mental health training to line managers and implement workplace policies that clarify the role of line managers in supporting employee mental health.
In the meantime, the researchers stress that there is a need for further research in this area, including looking at different approaches to delivering mental health training to line managers.
Dr Juliet Hassard from Queen’s Business School at Queen’s Belfast University, and co-author of the study, said: “It can be challenging to encourage employers to invest in employee mental health. Knowing that improving the knowledge, skills and confidence of line managers in managing mental health at work is linked to better business outcomes will help to emphasise the strategic value of this approach for employers.”
