Conference to tackle mental health in the workplace
6th March 2007
Mental ill-health costs business an astonishing £9 billion a year in lost time with up to 30 per cent of the workforce experiencing mental health problems such as stress and depression at any one time.
The Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) conference, ‘Supporting line managers on mental health' will feature speakers who have experienced mental ill health and those who have line managed them.
Steve Walter, who will be discussing his experience as an employee who has encountered mental health problems, says:
"In my experience, many line managers need support when managing people with mental health problems, which can affect as many as one in four people in the course of a year.
"There are practical, helpful tools available, such as EFD's ‘Line manager guide'. By removing a possible source of fear and insecurity, advice and guidance can help dispel stigma and contribute to good management.
"I will be sharing my own story of mental ill health and how I was managed."
Niccola Swan, deputy chief executive of EFD says:
"Effective management of mental health in the workplace is not only good news for employees it is also good news for business.
"Mental health problems account for the loss of over 91 million working days each year. Promoting good mental health at work can reduce sickness absence, increase retention and lead to higher levels of motivation and productivity.
"Employers' Forum on Disability is keen to support UK employers to respond to this business priority."
The conference is sponsored by EFD gold member Merrill Lynch and will take place on 21 March.
The conference will also include common scenarios, brought to life by actors, case studies from EFD members who have carried out pioneering work on mental health and experts, who will discuss the latest thinking on mental ill-health in the workplace.
Ends
Notes to editors
Media enquiries, please contact:
Liz Nightingale, Communications Manager
Employers' Forum on Disability
Email: liz.nightingale@efd.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7403 3020
About Employers' Forum on Disability
Employers' Forum on Disability is the employers' organisation focused on disability as it affects employers and service providers. With over 400 members, EFD represents organisations that employ around 20 per cent of the UK workforce.Since its establishment in 1991, EFD has worked closely with government and other stakeholders, sharing best practice to make it easier to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers.