Report looks at MH challenges in the workplace

A new report from Unum, a leading provider of employee benefits, reveals that just 25 percent of managers in the United States have received training on how to refer employees to mental health resources, and more than half of people are unsure how they would help a colleague who came to them with a mental health issue, Business Wire reported March 27. Among its key findings, the report noted that mental illness is one of the top causes of worker disability in the United States, and 62 percent of missed work days can be attributed to mental health conditions. Additionally, 55 percent of employees said their employer did not have, or they were unsure if their employer had, a specific program, initiative or policy in place to address mental health. “Creating a workplace culture that promotes mental health resources and encourages employees to take advantage of them helps to destigmatize mental health issues and leads to a happier, more productive workforce,” said Michelle Jackson, assistant vice president of market development at Unum.