Government Recommendations for Employers

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The independent review into workplace mental health, commissioned by the Prime Minister and led by Dennis Stevenson and Paul Farmer published a report - Thriving at Work. The review looks at how employers can better support all employees including those with poor mental health, succeed at work.

Key Recommendations for employers

The report recommends that all employers, regardless of workplace type, industry or size adopt the mental health core standards. They believe all employers can and should: 

  • Produce, implement and communicate a mental health at work plan.
  • Develop mental health awareness among employees.
  • Encourage conversations about mental health and support available when employees are struggling.
  • Provide your employees with good working conditions.
  • Promote effective people management.
  • Routinely monitor employee mental health and well-being. 

It also recommends that all public-sector employers and the 3,500 private sector companies with more than 500 employees, deliver the following mental health standards which will reach 46% of employees:

  • Increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting. 
  • Demonstrate accountability.
  • Improve the disclosure process.
  • Ensure provision of tailored in-house mental health support and signposting to clinical help. 

Although the report was commissioned by the Government, there were still proposals set out within which outlined ways in which the Government can aid and assist the recommendations by amending existing legislation. The report recommends that the Government considers amending legislation and guidance, for example the Companies Act, to encourage employers to report on workplace mental health on their website.

There is an "easy read" guide that has been produced alongside the main report, which defines the findings in a more concise manner. To read the guide, please click here. 

Implementing Change

Mind have produced a guide on how to implement these recommendations into the workplace, with detailed examples of best practice when creating new measures for mental health and well-being within a company.