New White Paper Prioritises Mental Health Issues at Work

VERIFORCE CHAS has welcomed the release of a new white paper, Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace, launched by the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Stakeholder Alliance to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

The white paper addresses workplace mental health challenges. It urges the Government, employers, and workplace health and safety leaders to take action to tackle mental health issues at work.

Construction sees the second highest rates of suicide in the UK, and Veriforce CHAS is working with Causeway Technology, as well as supporting the Lighthouse charity, to raise awareness and improve the situation.

Although the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prioritised the reduction of work-related ill health—particularly mental health and stress—over the next decade, the number of people leaving work due to mental health problems is not declining. Instead, these numbers continue to rise.

The report highlights statistics from the HSE, revealing that 875,000 people in Great Britain experienced work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2022-23, resulting in over 17 million lost working days.

In response, the white paper calls on employers to embed mental health at the core of their organisational strategies, advocating for stronger protections and a more robust promotion of mental well-being in the workplace.

Mental Health Evaluation

In April 2024, Veriforce CHAS launched its Mental Health & Wellbeing Evaluation, which has seen widespread industry adoption with 8,000 contractors having now completed the mental health module.

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set is designed to encourage construction companies to implement best practices around mental health. It aims to empower contractors and buyers to demonstrate their commitment to well-being initiatives within their organisations and supply chains.

By completing this evaluation, Veriforce CHAS says contractors can showcase their efforts to create supportive workplaces, which may include documented mental health policies, training programs, and flexible work arrangements for staff dealing with mental health issues.

Furthermore, the organisation’s Client Portal provides hiring clients with access to information on contractors’ mental health practices.

Commenting on the launch of the white paper, CHAS Managing Director Ian McKinnon, stated: “We welcome this fresh focus on mental health through the OSH Stakeholder Alliance white paper. Having influential organisations rally behind this critical issue will undoubtedly raise the profile of mental health across all sectors, driving meaningful change.

“The strong uptake of our voluntary question set has been highly encouraging. For our part we will continue collaborating with industry partners, including Causeway Technologies, to champion mental health and wellbeing initiatives across the sector.”

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