People are returning to the workplace but research shows that the pandemic has had a detrimental impact on the mental health of workers across the country. The current cost of living crisis is also having a negative impact on mental health. According to the Scottish Government, recent research shows poor mental health costs Scottish employers over £2 billion annually. In response, a free online platform - Supporting a mentally healthy workplace - has been launched. Parties involved in developing the platform include ACAS, the CBI, HSE and the NHS. The platform aims to make it easier for businesses to access tools to protect and support the mental health of their staff by providing access to a range of resources.
Employers have legal responsibilities to protect their employees' mental health and to support people with mental health conditions in their place of work. The platform provides some legal guidance, including the significance of both The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Equality Act 2010 with links to related documents. The need for risk assessments and the importance of appropriate policies is highlighted as is the requirement of employers to make reasonable adjustments for people with mental health conditions. If you require assistance in drafting and implementing mental health policies, including advice on carrying out risk assessments and how to satisfy an employer's legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments, please contact Nicole.Moscardini@morton-fraser.com.
A complimentary digital portal has also been launched by See Me Scotland, Scotland's national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination. As well as supporting employers to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination at work, the digital portal also aims to assist businesses to create workplaces that talk openly about mental health and challenge inappropriate behaviour. Businesses can join the See Me in Work programme and undertake a self-assessment of their organisation, get the views of their employees and create an improvement plan with a view to making sustained changes.
