October 2019

M ental health issues are a growing concern for the whole UK workforce. This is not a surprise if you consider that, according to Mind, one in four people in the UK experience a mental health problem each year. Meanwhile, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's Health & Wellbeing Report 2018, stress, anxiety and depression are now the largest cause of sickness absence in the UK. It's not great for businesses either. Mental health issues are responsible for 91 million working days lost each year and the Centre for Mental Health estimates this costs UK employers £34.9 billion each year, through sickness absence and reduced productivity. The organisation suggests there are simple ways to tackle this by implementing training and raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing – which automotive industry charity Ben can help with. "From our own insights," said Rachel Clift, Health and Wellbeing Director at Ben, "we know that the automotive industry is no exception to these UK-wide findings. Each year, we are supporting more and more people with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, as well as more severe, enduring cases. Last year we saw a big shift, with mental health issues representing 52% of our helpline enquiries, compared to 29% the year before. "Results from our latest annual Industry Survey show that 91% of employees in the automotive sector have been affected by a health and wellbeing issue in the last year. Out of all the issues revealed, anxiety had the most detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals overall." External factors Can external factors be partly to blame for the rise? Rachel thinks so: "It appears that the rise in mental health issues within the automotive industry, particularly anxiety, is being influenced by political uncertainty, the pressure of advancing technology and welfare reform. "It’s important to acknowledge individuals and employers who seek 8 AFTERMARKET OCTOBER 2019 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net WHERE IS MY MIND? The importance of addressing mental health concerns is being increasingly recognised in the sector. What are organisations and businesses doing to help?