Your Health at Work

An Indispensable Guide to Physical and Mental Wellbeing

Kogan Page, 2018

15 min read

6 take-aways

Audio & text

What's inside?

Learn to protect your physical health and mental welfare at work.

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If you fear health dangers that lurk on the job, this book is for you. Reporting for the Trades Union Congress (TUC), writers Becky Allen and Howard Fidderman provide a comprehensive overview of workplace hazards and chronic diseases, discussing mental illness and health conditions that the workplace generates or aggravates. Although their focus is the United Kingdom – and although this was written before the COVID-19 pandemic – they offer solutions and ideas for employers and employees worldwide.

Summary

Mental health is a crucial workplace issue.

In 2017, an independent review panel published crucial findings about mental health in the workplace. On an annual basis, mental illness costs the United Kingdom’s economy £74 billion to £99 billion (roughly $92 billion to $123 billion), with companies shouldering £33 billion to £42 billion of those costs.

Nearly 17% of adults – one in six – live with a mental health disorder, according to the UK Department of Health. Those conditions include depression, suicidal thoughts, bipolar conditions, eating and sleep disorders, loneliness, stress, anxiety attacks and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Three decades ago, most employees who experienced mental health disorders had little or no expectation of workplace assistance. In the modern workplace, health and safety programs include mental health wellness initiatives and suicide prevention. Labor unions, mental health advocates and health care experts have led the push to recognize the links between work and mental health.

The 2017 review panel established certain mental health standards for the workplace. The panel ...

About the Authors

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a federation of 50 workers’ unions in the United Kingdom, representing approximately 5.6 million members. Becky Allen and Howard Fidderman are freelance writers.

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