‘Duvet days’ not the answer to workplace wellness issues

Employees having to use their sick leave to deal with their mental health issues sets a bad precedent going forward. But at the same time, some small and medium businesses simply can’t afford to offer mental health days. So, what’s next?

Employees working for SMEs in Australia and New Zealand aren’t likely to get mental health days in addition to their existing personal leave entitlements any time soon, yet as mental health awareness in the workplace continues to rise, the situation becomes trickier.

According to a new survey from Peninsula Employsure, over a quarter of respondents (31 per cent in Australia and 28 per cent in New Zealand) are seeing an increase in sickness absences because of mental health concerns (an increase of 43 per cent from 2023).

At the same time, 77 per cent in Australia and 60 per cent in New Zealand don’t offer mental health days and still don’t plan on adding any in the future.

“It’s common for employees to use their sick leave when they’re dealing with mental health issues, making it feel like less of a need for SMEs to have dedicated mental health days, especially if not everyone in the workplace struggles with mental health issues,” said David Price, chief executive at Peninsula Employsure.

Although mental health days certainly aren’t the status quo for many businesses, New Zealand and Canadian employers are more likely to introduce them than Australian, UK and Irish employers, at 21 per cent and 23 per cent per cent of respondents, respectively.

Another 16 per cent in New Zealand and 14 per cent in Canada aim to implement mental health days in the next 12 months.

“Many small businesses don’t have the resources, in terms of both capital and manpower, to offer mental health days on top of sick and annual leave entitlements. Business operating costs and the risks of failure are on an upward trajectory in 2024 for small businesses. Therefore, the focus for many business owners is on survival, maintaining viability and keeping expenses down,” Price said.

Although a vast majority of SMEs are not pursuing the implementation of mental health days, they are deploying different strategies in an attempt to assist their employees through their mental health difficulties.

Some of these strategies include:

• Allowing staff to take time out during work hours to see counsellors.
• Short mental health breaks during the day to manage stress.
• Ensuring their teams have regular and open discussions about how they are feeling and how they can support each other.
• The introduction of mental health first aiders.

The introduction of mental health first aiders has seen a 52 per cent increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. A mental health first aider is someone who has received first aid training to support people experiencing or developing a mental health problem.

Yet in New Zealand, who have supported the implementation of mental health days, just 4 per cent of respondents stated that they’d introduced mental health first aiders in the last 12 months.

Respondents stated that staff (61 per cent in Australia and 62 per cent in New Zealand) are speaking more openly about mental health concerns in the workplace, whereas only half (55 per cent in Australia and 50 per cent in New Zealand) are somewhat confident their employees would disclose a mental health issue to them or their manager.

In both Australia and New Zealand, the “shut up and get on with it” mindset is alive and well. Workers will often put up a wall and keep their feelings to themselves. This is where employers can step up and give them those safe avenues that allow them to feel comfortable expressing those emotions.

“The data demonstrates the importance of organisations, regardless of size, having effective mental health strategies in place to foster an environment where people feel supported, valued, and listened to.”

“Workers are under no obligation to disclose if they are struggling with mental health issues, so businesses need to offer alternative pathways for them to seek assistance and address the challenges they encounter,” Price said.

Having a workplace that pushes for employees to have that work/life balance can be an important part of negating those negative mental health issues. Imploring employees to prioritise their wellbeing instead of primarily being fixated on their jobs can make all the difference in the long run, and that is up to employers to set that culture.

“Good mental health strategies start at the leadership level, with positive impacts trickling down to team members. This involves providing leaders with coaching and resources, empowering them with actionable steps to proactively address and manage mental health in the workplace,” Price said.

“Employees who have a healthy work/life balance are less stressed, more productive, and more likely to stay in their role and thrive. Employers that don’t protect this balance will see higher turnover and adverse business outcomes as a result.”