1. Section Title
Time to Change
Employer Pledge

2. Resources
Background
9 out of 10 people who experience mental health problems say they face stigma and discrimination as a result
60% of people said that stigma and discrimination are as damaging or more damaging than the symptoms of their mental health problem
35% of respondents said that stigma had made them give up on their ambitions, hopes and dreams for their life
27% said stigma had made them want to give up on life
This is not an insignificant challenge:
9 out of 10 people who experience mental health problems say they face stigma and discrimination as a result
60% of people said that stigma and discrimination are as damaging or more damaging than the symptoms of their mental health problem
35% of respondents said that stigma had made them give up on their ambitions, hopes and dreams for their life
27% said stigma had made them want to give up on life
Figures come from viewpoint survey 2014/15 (Institute of Psychiatry). Survey of 1,000 people using secondary mental health services in five locations in England

3. Resources Workplace Stigma
54% percent of people say they are impacted most by stigma in their place of work.
1 in 6 British workers are affected by conditions like anxiety, depression and stress every year 
In a survey of UK adults, 56% said they would not hire someone with depression even if they were the best candidate for the job.

4. Resources Workplace Stigma
54% percent of people say they are impacted most by stigma in their place of work.
Only 11% of employees have discussed a recent mental health problem with their line manager
95% of employees calling in sick with stress gave a different reason
35% of people think they would be less likely to get promoted if they had depression.
42% have considered resigning due to workplace stress

5. Resources Workplace Stigma
The Thriving at Work Report, commissioned by the Prime Minister this year, showed the cost of poor mental health to the UK Economy to be between £74 and £99 billion a year, of which between £33 and £42 billion is incurred by employers.
Presenteeism – when individuals are less productive due to poor mental health in work – accounts for over half of this cost at £17 to 26billion.
Abseenteeism costing £8 billion
Staff turnover £8billion also.

6. Resources Workplace Stigma
According to research conducted by Deloitte, workplace interventions show a return to business of between £1.50 and £9 for every £1 invested, with an average return of £4.20
Simply encouraging employees to talk about mental health can make a real difference to: sickness absence rates, productivity and mental wellbeing.
An Australian study by Lancet also found that a manager mental health training programme could lead to a significant reduction in work- related sickness absence with an associated return on investment of £9.98 for every pound spent on training.

7. Resources Time to Change Employers Programme
The Time to Change Employer Pledge is a straightforward, free way to demonstrate commitment to employees’ mental health, and to creating an environment where they can be open about it. The Pledge was redeveloped in August 2019 to reflect the 2017 Thriving at Work Core Standards recommended in the report written by Paul Farmer & Lord Stevenson, commissioned by the UK Government.

8. Time to Change Employers Programme
Core Standard Three
Ask staff to share personal experiences of mental health problems
 Core Standard One
Produce, implement and communicate a mental health at work plan
Core Standard Two
Develop mental health awareness among employees
Core Standard Four
Provide employees with good working
conditions & ensure they have a healthy work life balance & opportunities for development
Core Standard Five
Promote effective people management through line managers and supervisors
 Core Standard Six
Routinely monitor employee mental
health and wellbeing
Core Standard 1: Produce, implement and communicate a mental health at work plan
How will you demonstrate your Senior Leaders are committed to addressing mental health, and mental health stigma and discrimination specifically, in your workplace?
How will your commitment be embedded within organisational strategies, policies and strategic-level documentation?
Core Standard 2: Develop mental health awareness among employees
How will you look to raise your staff’s understanding of mental health problems and mental health stigma in the workplace?
What tools or resources are made available to staff to self-reflect on their own mental health in the workplace and discuss what supports them stay well in your organisation? Make reference to Wellness Action Plans, Wellness Recovery Action Plans or similar tools/frameworks.
Core Standard 3: Encourage open conversations about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling
How will your organisation encourage your employees to share their experience of mental health problems at an organisation-wide level?
How does your organisation normalise conversations about mental health and encourage disclosure?
How will your organisation empower employees to champion mental health in the workplace and provide peer to peer support and activities in support of normalising the conversation?
Core Standard 4: Provide employees with good working conditions and ensure they have a healthy work life balance and opportunities for development
How do your policies support those persons with mental health problems and support them to come forward and disclose?
How do your policies actively consider and support persons from diverse backgrounds? For example people of colour, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons who live with mental health problems. Make reference to specific inclusion of such groups within organisational policy and the intersection of any mental health initiatives, programmes or support with these persons.
What support services are available to your staff?
Core Standard 5: Promote effective people management through line managers and supervisors
How does your organisation ensure managers and supervisors are suitably prepared and educated to have effective conversations with their line reports about their mental health?
How does your organisation’s policies ensure regular opportunities are presented for managers and supervisors to have conversations with line reports about their mental health?
Core Standard 6: Routinely monitor employee mental health and wellbeing
Who within your organisation has overall responsibility for the implementation, evaluation and subsequent review of this action plan?
Through what mechanisms does your organisation currently monitor and evaluate employee mental health and wellbeing?
Does your organisation record and monitor sickness absence in relation to mental health problems and stress?

9. Resources Time to Change Employers Programme
The Pledge is wrapped around a package of support which includes:
Telephone/ guidance to employers in the development and implementation of their action plan.
Run free Train the Trainer champions trainer to pledged employers and resources
Run 2 free Masterclasses each quarter for newly pledged employers
Produce communications /activity packs for employers and champions for key dates.
Resources and videos available from the Time to Change Website

10. Time to Change Employers Programme
Over 1400 organisations, employing over 3 millions persons have now signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge.
Following the Employer Pledge:
Employees feel more supported about issues concerning mental health (53% pre to 72% post)
There is an increased willingness to admit personal lived experience of mental health (41% to 56%)
There is increased confidence in making managers and colleagues aware of a personal mental health experience (54% to 60% for managers and 47% to 55% for colleagues).