New research highlights the importance of mental health training for line managers in enhancing business performance.
- Studies indicate a strong link between manager training and improved recruitment and retention rates.
- Mental health training correlates with increased customer service quality and reduced long-term absences.
- Research identifies a significant portion of sick days attributable to mental health challenges.
- Experts emphasize the strategic business value of investing in mental health training for leadership roles.
Recent research underscores the critical role mental health training for line managers plays in enhancing business outcomes. The study, spearheaded by experts from the University of Nottingham and published in PLOS ONE, suggests that such training not only boosts recruitment and retention rates but also elevates customer service quality and reduces levels of long-term mental health-related absences.
Professor Holly Blake, a lead researcher in the study, asserts that mental ill-health in the workplace incurs substantial costs concerning productivity and absenteeism. She emphasizes the importance of this research in strengthening the rationale for employers to invest in mental health initiatives at the workplace. Mental health concerns account for approximately 12.7% of all sick days, placing a financial burden on businesses amounting to over £50 billion annually in the UK alone.
The research delved into anonymized survey data from several thousand companies across England, collected between 2020 and 2023. Conducted by the Enterprise Research Centre at Warwick Business School as part of a broader initiative on workplace mental health and productivity, the survey explored various practices, including mental health training for managers. Notably, the analysis controlled for variables such as company age, sector, and size to ensure accurate results, thereby suggesting that such training holds strategic business significance.
Further research is encouraged to explore diverse methodologies in delivering mental health training to line managers. Dr. Juliet Hassard from Queen’s University Belfast, co-author of the study, reiterates the challenges in persuading employers to invest in mental health. Highlighting the link between enhanced managerial skills in mental health and positive business results serves as a catalyst in promoting these initiatives among employers.
The findings strongly advocate for the integration of mental health training for line managers as a strategic business investment.
