Letter: Mental Health in the workplace
Liz Kendall and Wes Streeting need to collaborate on the issue of the problem of mental health for many in the working age population.
Most mental health issues are due to stress of various kinds, major events such as bereavement, house moving, and divorce affect many people adversely. However, the stress of unemployment and workplace related stress should be avoidable in our so-called 'sophisticated' society.
One factor is how people with just a few coppers above minimum wage are expected to commit spare time and attention to work related manners when they are not at work. Having work follow them home as if they were on a £100,000 salary.
Employers text workers about coming in, what is happening at work, and pressure to commit to extra shifts/hours at usually very short notice.
Most workers should have the right to shut off from emails and other work communications, except for essential/emergency information. Even heads of state have some down time!
This is just one issue in reducing stress and mental health difficulties at work, others such as pay levels, support, ethos of companies, and being able to have your say, are all important too, but the factor I have identified is a very inexpensive and quick contribution to better mental health.
Please consider this and let's get a debate going.
Adrian Rimington,
Chesterfield