Less than one in 20 (4%) of employee respondents who experience depression feel they can speak to their manager about it, according to research by Legal and General.
Its survey of 2,000 full-time employees and 200 managing directors and HR managers also found that just 5% of employee respondents who experience anxiety believe they can speak to their manager about it.
The research also found:
- More than three-quarters (78%) of employer respondents think that employees feel comfortable talking about mental health issues with their employer.
- 10% of employee respondents who experience unacceptably high levels of pressure feel they could discuss this with their manager.
- 40% of employee respondents have experienced depression, 25% have experienced unacceptably high levels of pressure, 22% have had panic attacks, and 51% have trouble sleeping.
Martin Noone (pictured), managing director at Legal and General Workplace Health and Protection, said: “Our research demonstrates there is much more work to do to change the perception of mental health and the stigma attached to it. It seems that the workplace has, in the main, become a place for ‘suffering in silence’.
“With one in four people experiencing a mental health problem each year, it’s time for employers to work on their approach and start creating workplaces that are mentally healthy.”