Poor office environments can have a detrimental impact on the mental health and productivity of workers, according to a new report.

Employers are being urged to improve conditions for workers for both the sake of staff health and to protect their own productivity rates, as unhealthy workplaces can contribute to mental health problems. Job stress in the UK is believed to reduce the nation's GDP by as much as ten per cent a year.

Mental health organisation Mind has released the results of a study, conducted with the TUC, which suggests that the government's planned Incapacity Benefit reforms, aimed at getting people back to work, could be hampered by poor office environments.

The report on the impact of environment on mental health, Building Solutions, also highlights problems with the condition of mental healthcare environments, which it states need extra funding for repairs and improvements.

Mind chief executive, Paul Farmer, said: "Dilbert-type cubicles won't cut it in the information economy. To maximise productivity and creativity, it's crucial that staff have inspiring, flexible work environments. What can often be a fairly small investment in improving your workspaces will reap rewards in staff morale and productivity."

A quarter of respondents (26 per cent) to the Mind/TUC survey said that they believed that the conditions in their office had a negative effect on their mental health, while 22 per cent had actively complained about their work environment.

Concerns about office spaces included the temperature (42 per cent), the amount of natural light (27 per cent) and the amount of working space (27 per cent).

Previous studies have shown that workers in poor office environments are less productive, as good daylight can reduce health problems such as eyestrain and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), good design can promote positive emotions and creativity and spacious working conditions reduce levels of stress.

A number of recent studies have indicated that stigmas attached to mental health problems continue to exist in UK workplaces, with many employees reluctant to admit to mental ill health.

Research by disability insurer UnumProvident discovered that 77 per cent of British workers feel that admitting to suffering from mental health problems, with older workers more reluctant to admit to stress, depression and anxiety because of the potential impact on their careers.

The numbers of employees in the UK suffering from problems such as stress, depression and anxiety has soared in recent years and business leaders are thought to underestimate the scale of mental health problems amongst workers.

An estimated 28 to 35 per cent of employees will experience stress, depression or another problem with mental ill health in any given year. Around 40 per cent of all incapacity benefit claimants now suffer with mental ill health problems and workplace stress has become the second biggest single occupational health problem in Britain.

Joanne Hindle, corporate services director of UnumProvident, said: "If employees are not reporting mental health problems for fear of repercussions on their career, employers are less likely to be able to provide effective support."

A recent poll of 5,000 people by Legal and General indicated that many Britons are stressed about the pace of modern life, including longer working hours and poor sleep. The report warns that many workers are now facing burnout, with mobile phones and handheld devices making it harder than ever for Brits to switch off after work.

Employers are starting to take action to combat stress and improve working environments and conditions for workers. Many companies have implemented flexible working practices, such as home working, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is holding a one day conference with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) aimed at improving absence management.

The Mind study recommends that bosses listen to employees and are open to suggestions about possible changes to the office, providing adequate desk space and ventilation and consider appointing someone in the office who is in charge of the environment.


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