More than three quarters (81%) of respondents who have experienced mental ill-health issues have found that their physical health has suffered too, according to research by Axa PPP Healthcare.
Its survey of 4,183 British adults, of which 2,470 work full or part time, also found that 52% of respondents who have experienced mental health problems have also seen their finances adversely affected.
The research also found:
- 71% of respondents who have had problems with their physical health have also experienced difficulties with their mental health.
- 40% of respondents who have had physical health issues have seen their finances take a turn for the worse.
- 76% of respondents who have had financial difficulties have seen their mental health adversely affected.
- Half (50%) of respondents have seen financial concerns impact their physical health.
Dr Mark Winwood (pictured), director of psychological services at Axa PPP Healthcare, said: “When considering wellbeing initiatives, employers would be wise to take a holistic approach to enable employees to maintain their mental, physical and financial wellbeing. This may involve providing suitable support to help them manage their problems, such as an employee assistance programme and other online resources and helplines to assist them with psychological and financial difficulties.
“Being afraid to open up about personal problems, whether they’re work related or not, can seriously affect employee wellbeing. Mood, productivity and engagement can all be disrupted. To help address this, it’s important for the organisation’s leadership to promote a positive, supportive workplace culture where employees are encouraged to speak up and seek support for the challenges that are proving difficult to overcome.”