The survey of UK employers and employees revealed that 35% of businesses in Scotland have experience of an employee leaving their company because their mental wellbeing wasn’t cared for, with 23% saying they had lost a really valuable staff member, suggesting businesses could face a staff retention crisis as employees struggle with increasing mental health demands.

The research underlined the importance workers in Scotland place on mental health provision in the workplace, with half of workers (50%) saying they would seek a new job if their mental wellbeing was not being supported by their employer. Some 55% of workers also said a supportive mental wellbeing policy would increase the likelihood of them joining a new company.

Benenden Health, which has launched a new report looking at the impact of poor mental wellbeing on the country’s workforce, asked employees of UK businesses to consider the impact of their mental wellbeing throughout their working life, rather than solely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With four in ten workers (39%) in Scotland saying their job had become more stressful in the last two years, Benenden Health is encouraging businesses in the country to engage with their employees to understand their mental wellbeing requirements. This could ultimately prevent them from leaving the business, saving on training and recruitment costs and preserving a strong workforce.

The research also highlighted a disparity between how employers’ priorities are perceived. Just over a quarter (28%) of workers in Scotland believe that the mental wellbeing of employees is a big priority for their employer and that the business genuinely cares about the issue, whereas 62% employers in the country say they genuinely care about the mental wellbeing of their employees.

Yet only 55% of Scottish employers said that they have asked employees what they would like to see from the company in terms of mental wellbeing support, with this lack of communication impacting on the necessary and appropriate provision of resources.

Bob Andrews, CEO at Benenden Health, said: “It is concerning that employers in Scotland have reported losing good staff due to poor mental wellbeing provision, something that employees clearly consider important, and which could be creating a perfect storm for UK businesses.

“The data highlights a missed opportunity for companies to listen to their employees and promote good mental wellbeing within their organisation, as this can have a real positive effect not only on the health of employees but also on absence rates, productivity, recruitment and retention.

“Businesses who do not take an interest in strengthening their mental wellbeing provision also risk missing the opportunity to access a talent pool that would be loyal to a company that prioritises positive mental wellbeing.

“It’s important that employers don’t just talk the talk when it comes to mental wellbeing, but also put things into practice to support their staff. It’s not too late though. I hope these findings will encourage businesses to think again about how they approach wellbeing within their organisation and make their workplace an even better place to be.”