With reports suggesting poor workplace mental health is costing the nation £56 billion a year, industry experts believe communication and feedback are critical to wellbeing.

To initiate changes for employees, the Resolution Foundation think tank, funded by the Health Foundation charity, is calling for cross-party government action. This proposal comes after a recent report showing record numbers out of employment due to poor mental health. A recent survey shows that over 60% of UK employees left a job or intend to leave in the next year due to poor mental health. A separate study showed that 28% of UK sick days are because of employee mental health. Costing the UK a considerable £56 billion each year is detrimental to employees and businesses.

Industry professionals believe there is an unrecognised systematic skills gap in businesses - a lack of the ability to share and listen to the truth. The lack of structured feedback is negatively impacting people’s working lives. Younger employees demand truth, transparency and integrity in their working lives, but many work in environments where the reality and the vision fail to align.

Continuous dialogue, telling the truth and recognising people’s strengths and weaknesses is critical to a progressive working environment for employees.
Communication is a priority. Many of us can resonate with working hard but failing to progress in a business. We all have areas that can improve, but without constructive dialogue, it’s challenging to grow and improve our daily performance. Many people have worked for years without having the necessary communication qualities, and while we often promote and praise people who have done well, we fail to give regular feedback. Without this communication and this avoidance of telling the truth, it creates an environment that lacks trust, impacting people’s well-being, and ultimately, business productivity. 

The ability to communicate honestly is beneficial for both employees and the business. Recent studies suggest that employees working in a trustful environment have considerably higher energy levels and reduced sick days. Data also indicates that companies with high trust levels outperform others with low trust levels by a staggering amount.

To embrace this concept of truth-telling requires building a culture at work where honesty and feedback towards employees at all levels are encouraged. Sharing your opinions and concerns without fear of being judged is vital. When people are cautious to speak out, it creates this feeling of distrust, leading to an unhappy and unhealthy workforce. This spirals into lower productivity and a higher number of resignations, increasing business turnover and recruitment costs. A YouGov report from earlier this year for Mental Health UK indicates that 20% of workers are at risk of burnout.

It’s difficult to fix something that hasn’t been identified. If you don’t encourage an environment of truth and trust, leaders will be informed about problems at the crisis stage, at which stage it impacts a project and everyone involved. A working culture should embrace and encourage intelligent feedback to avoid these potential challenges. If people can communicate truthfully and identify potential problems earlier, a strategic plan for everyone involved can happen. The problem is that many business leaders lack this communication style that enables the truth. 

It’s difficult to speak out and tell the truth in the workplace. Similarly, staying silent can impact relationships, our professional position and our finances. If employees are cautious to share their opinions with their leadership team, there may be an underlying issue in the organisation. Ultimately, you’re all on the same team and seeking ways to enable success, not hinder progress.

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