A silent epidemic sweeping Britain’s workplaces is costing business over £4 billion a year in wasted wages, lost working days and lower productivity. 

Mental illness accounts for almost half of all sick leave taken by employees in the UK, making it a bigger problem for bosses than colds, flu or other seasonal infections, according to research by one of the UK’s leading employment law consultancies.  

Figures compiled by Employment Law Advisory Services (ELAS) reveal that just over 3.4 million working days were lost in the first quarter of 2009 due to staff taking time off because of stress, depression or anxiety.

And that trend appears to be rising, as the effects of the recession mean staff are working harder and longer, while worrying about holding onto their jobs.   

ELAS estimate that around 443,000 workers have experienced work-related stress severe enough to make them ill. The firm compiled the figures after consulting its data-base of thousands of client companies across the UK.   

ELAS’ Head of Personnel, Pamela Rogerson, said: “Our findings show that as the recession has deepened, levels of work-place stress have increased, and so has the amount of working time lost through mental illness.

“According to the Government’s own definition, stress is an adverse reaction to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on staff at work.”

Common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression tend to be short-tem and can often be treated successfully by GPs. However, stress can also trigger more serious mental health problems, leading to longer absences from work.

Pamela Rogerson said: “An increasing number of people need to take time off through mental illness, yet there are are still fears that if they do, they will be stigmatised. That is why mental illness is known as the silent epidemic.

“Good managers make sure their firm has strong HR Policies and sickness guidelines in place, so staff can alert someone in authority when they start having problems - before they become too severe.”

Last year, almost three in ten workers were diagnosed with mental health problems. Only muscular–skeletal problems, such as painful backs, necks and limbs, cause more sick days off.

However, not all sickness leave is taken for genuine reasons.  

Pamela Rogerson sounded a sound a note of caution: “Stress, anxiety and depression can be difficult to spot – and therefore, relatively easy to feign.

“Well structured, robust guidelines will ensure that employers and employees clearly understand what they are entitled to expect from each other.  

“Managers should be supportive but aware. While the recession is undoubtedly raising stress levels, some employees will seek to use that as an excuse to take time off.

“Firms need clear sickness policies in place. Otherwise, they leave themselves wide open to highly expensive claims from disgruntled staff with an eye to the main chance.”

 ELAS provides software to track absences to aid managers in assessing situations just like these ensuring the correct procedure is followed.

For more information about the scheme or any other employment law matter, please call ELAS on 0161 785 2000

Visit www.employment-law.uk.com for more information.

For HR Software to manage your absences, visit www.employersafe.co.uk