To think more emphasis needs to be placed on employers responsibility to their staffs mental health

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I left a company a while ago because it was seriously lacking in proper management and a reasonable workload for its staff.

Multiple colleagues were off with stress caused by the job and some were on anti depressants to combat it.

It's not the first company I've worked for where it was common for people to be on sick leave with stress.

AIBU to think more needs to be done to force employers to take their staffs mental health seriously. It is not okay to push employees to depression with huge workloads and poor management.

I often found the unpleasant changes for staff coincided with thicker lining of management's pockets.

Yes.

Sorry, as in, yes, I agree with you.

I’ve just undertaken a review into stress in our organisation. 80% of stress was due to external factors, primarily bereavement (staff demographic means it’s expected).

Not sure as an employer that I can stop people dying.

Completely not unreasonable at all; working conditions shouldn't be so horrible that multiple staff are signed off with stress. If working conditions were so bad that multiple staff were signed off with asbestosis/asthma/titinitus/HIV etc. The HSE would be all over it. Should be the same for workplaces causing documented mental illness in multiple employees

Absolutely, I experienced this when our senior manager of 20 years retired and the new manager wanted a total re vamp of polices, practices and environment immediately. I accept change is healthy but it was so much pressure I cracked, she couldn't understand why I wasn't changing over night and said I needed re programming! After a break down I actually left a job I adored and my next two managers also left for the same reasons, guess who still kept their job though

Moreslidingdoors - obviously I'm talking about work-related stress; nobody is advocating an employer take the blame for a family bereavement.

moreslidingdoors how confident are you that it is external factors? Are you sure it’s not a case of staff being too afraid to admit to work place stress? My boss certainly sends out snarky emails every now and again when people have admitted to being stressed by something, the emails say things like ‘my door is always open and I’m disappointed that people didn’t come to see me about this, you shouldn’t feel this way’ (but without actually doing anything about the problem)

Or is it a case of people are stressed at work and the bereavement or similar is simply the last straw? Every time I have been close to breakdown it has been a combination of work and outside factors- when work is going well I use it as an escape from home and vice versa. If questioned at work I would probably blame home, but at home I would blame work!

I’m having a very open conversation with staff about stress. No matter whether home or work based, it all matters. They’re coming forward and being really honest. It’s the only way we’re going to get under the issues and get them the support they need.

I was surprised how many said it was the outside stress that had the biggest impact on them.

It’s public sector with good sick pay etc.

External stress and work related stress are obviously very different.

I believe whole heartedly that the latter does occur.

I have experienced it myself and seen colleagues going through it as well. Also experienced the utter lack of interest or care management showed over why it was happening.

Moreslidingdoors, it sounds like you're taking it seriously which is great. It's a shame a lot of employers don't.