Equal footing

We have joined more than 50 chief executives and leaders from companies such as Ford, WH Smith and Channel 4, in signing an open letter to Prime Minister, Theresa May, urging the Government to make provision for mental health first aid mandatory in the workplace.

Royal Mail was approached following our high profile leadership on mental health policy. The Government has previously promised to take action on mental health. What is proposed would fit with activity we have voluntarily started.

We have joined calls for mental health to be given the same status as physical health at work.  The letter reads: ‘As an employer, we have a duty of care for our staff and whilst some employers are at the forefront of change, equalising their number of mental health first aiders with physical first aiders, we cannot afford to leave anyone behind. 

‘Cost cannot be a reason for objections because in the long run it is inevitable that making mental health first aid in the workplace mandatory will save money. 

‘Success will ensure that employees everywhere can access a trained staff member to receive initial support and guidance if they are dealing with a mental health issue at work. Success will ensure every employee has the right to a mentally healthy environment. It will also mean that we can finally break the stigma of mental health in the workplace.’

Shaun Davis, our director of safety, health, wellbeing and sustainability, who signed the letter on behalf of the business, said:  ‘The stigma around mental health creates a fear among colleagues of being judged or discriminated against and discourages people from talking about their mental health and seeking support.

‘As a result, someone who is experiencing mental health issues may feel unable to tell their line manager about this and, as a result, try to hide their problems. At Royal Mail we are committed to addressing this and supporting improvements in mental health and wellbeing.’

Mental health issues are estimated to cost the UK economy almost £35 billion every year, while 15.4 million working days are lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety. 

Fionnuala Bonnar, chief operating officer of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which is leading the campaign, said the letter showed that business leaders recognise the need to support their employees' mental health as much as their physical health.

‘This is just one part of improving approaches to workplace mental health, but it represents an important step forward,’ she said. ‘Ensuring that first aid support is there for the millions of people who struggle with their mental health every year will make a big difference to how we all think about our health as a whole.’

Earlier this year, a study by the charity Mind – one of our charity partners – revealed that almost half of UK workers have experienced a mental health problem at their current job. A survey of more than 44,000 employees showed that only half of the 48% who had experienced poor mental health had spoken to their employer about it. Mind said the findings suggested as many as one in four workers are struggling in silence with problems such as anxiety, low mood and stress.