There isn’t a more important issue in today’s workplace than people’s health and well-being, and we’re seeing that many of the main risks to our health are now psychological. Mental ill-health is one of the biggest public health challenges facing society. And yet it is still much harder for most of us to talk about our mental, rather than our physical, health and this is no different in the workplace. Mental Health Awareness Week is therefore a crucial opportunity to open up the conversation about mental health at work.

We need to understand and learn from people’s experiences of mental health at work, so that we can build more inclusive and supportive workplaces. The CIPD is therefore delighted to be a partner of Business in the Community's National Mental Health at Work Survey 2018 in conjunction with Mercer and national partners Mind, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health at Work, OUTstanding, The Work Foundation and ILM, to ensure that employers are supporting employees with their mental health.

Thousands took part in the 2016 and 2017 surveys and we need your help to make 2018 the biggest yet. Anyone who is employed or self-employed in the UK and over the age of 16 can complete the survey and share their experiences.

The 2017 survey findings highlighted:

• Three out of every five (60%) employees had experienced mental health issues due to work or where work was a related factor
• 84% of managers accepted that employee wellbeing is their responsibility yet less than a quarter (24%) had received any training in mental health
• Shockingly, in 15% of cases where employees disclosed a mental health issue to a line manager, the employee subsequently became subject to disciplinary procedures, demotion or dismissal.

Support the Mental Health at Work campaign by spreading the word within your organisation and across your networks to get people to take part in the survey and have their say. It takes just 15-20 minutes to complete and is confidential.

The survey is open now and will close on Friday 27 July, and the more people that complete the survey questionnaire during this time will help us to get the best picture of mental health at work in the UK.