Work has an important role in promoting mental well-being. It can not only help develop an individual’s self-esteem and sense of identity but also helps to provide a sense of fulfilment and opportunities for social interaction. However when the pressure of work exceeds an employee’s ability to cope it can have negative effects on the employee’s mental health, particularly in the form of stress.

The NICE guidance highlights how employers and employees can work in partnership to improve mental well-being within the workplace, by taking a positive organisation-wide approach that promotes mental well-being through changes in ways of working, such as improved line management and the provision of flexible working where appropriate. These recommendations will not only benefit employees but will also help employers to reduce sickness absence and staff turnover leading to increased productivity and performance.

Professor Mike Kelly, Public Health Excellence Centre Director, NICE said: “The benefits of promoting mental well-being within the workplace are clear. Today’s guidance explains how employers can make simple changes which will improve the management of mental health in the workplace, including the prevention and early identification of problems. The financial incentives for employers adopting these approaches are significant however measures such as the performing of annual audits of employee well-being are not common practice. By following these recommendations an average organisation of 1000 employees can expect to save an estimated £250 000 a year, due to reduced absenteeism and increased performance. The guidance therefore represents a win-win for employers and their employees and should be seen as important advice to help organisations irrespective of their size or sector.”

Recommendations made for employers in organisations of all sizes include:
• Promote a culture of participation, equality and fairness that is based on open communication and inclusion.
• Create an awareness and understanding of mental well-being and reduce the potential for discrimination and stigma related to mental health problems.
• Ensure systems are in place for assessing and monitoring the mental well-being of employees so that areas for improvement can be identified and risks caused by work and working conditions addressed. This could include using employee attitude surveys and information about absence rates, staff turnover and investment in training and development, and providing feedback and open communication.
• If reasonably practical, provide employees with opportunities for flexible working according to their needs and aspirations in both their personal and working lives. Different options for flexible working include part-time working, home-working, job sharing and flexitime.
• Strengthen the role of line managers in promoting the mental well-being of employees through supportive leadership style and management practices.

Recommendations made for professionals working in occupational health services along with those involved in national initiatives and programmes from government and the Federation of Small Businesses include:
• Collaborate with micro, small and medium-sized businesses and offer advice and a range of support and services. This could include access to occupational health services (including counselling support and stress management training).

Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work said: “The newly released NICE guidance on the promotion of mental well-being at work provides clear, practical advice applicable to the public, private and voluntary sectors, with relevance to organisations both large and small. It is an excellent resource for the increasing number of employers who understand the need to create healthy workplaces which promote mental well-being, for the benefit of employees and their families. The guidance explains how best to build that positive environment."

Professor Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health Professor at the Lancaster University Management School said: “The NICE guidance is an extremely important contribution to enhancing mental well-being in the workplace, It is consistent with, and reinforces, the evidence-based findings of the major government Foresight project on Mental Capital and Well-being, and the work carried out in the EU over the last ten years. This NICE guidance is an innovative, far-reaching and significant piece of work that will help to minimise workplace stress and promote mental well-being at work.”

To download a copy of the NICE guidance, go to www.nice.org.uk/PH22