A leading retail charity has announced a new partnership which hopes to turn around the growing issue of stress and depression in the workplace.
Retail Trust, the charity for the 4.5m people in the retail sector, has joined forces with Rightsteps Wellbeing to support those struggling with the most common forms of mental health issues.
It says an initial assessment will follow phone based CBT counselling and self guided help which aims to prevent absence and presenteeism in the retail workplace.
Cliff Lee, from Rightsteps Wellbeing said: “Stress and other mental health related issues affect one in six workers across England and Wales and are the most widespread causes of long-term work place absence.”
“Rightsteps Wellbeing provides access to effective support mechanisms for employees when they are struggling with conditions such as stress, anxiety or depression… It is hugely important that employees are able to access the support they need, when they need it, to avoid their mental health deteriorating.”
In November, a BBC investigation found conditions in a UK Amazon warehouse that a stress expert said could cause “mental and physical illness.”
The cost of absence and lost productivity costs the UK economy £105bn every year, according to a report from the Centre for Mental heath. The report urges the government to take more action to treat and prevent mental illness.
