Studies show that stress from work is a huge contributor to mental health problems in Ireland.

So many people struggling with their mental health attribute their work as one of the key areas of stress in their day to day life.

Unfortunately, mental health in the workplace still comes with a stigma. Many people feel as though expressing their mental health struggles will somehow deem them as less capable and ultimately less desirable within the company when it comes to opportunities to grow within the organization.

The Financial Services Union of Ireland has called for a change in the way our workforce participate in their roles within any given company. They feel that as an employee one should not feel obliged to take a work call, respond to emails and complete tasks outside of their regular working hours. As such the FSU feel that there should be legislation in place to protect employees from this.

As part of our inaugural research Family Friendly HQ surveyed thousands of Irish parents about matters of health, well-being, work and relationships to name just a few areas. One of the key findings was that work and housework were two of the greatest obstacles between parents and quality family time with their children and partners. 37% of working parents surveyed said that they were planning to work from home that evening in some capacity. This shows us the fact that the lines are certainly blurring between work and home life and as a result, many Irish families are unhappy with the amount of quality time they are able to enjoy.

A report from the Financial Services Union showed that less than 10% of those working in financial services felt as though their employer made a conscious effort to ensure that employees were not working outside of their contracted hours. The greatest issue is technology and the fact that regardless of location we as a workforce are “switched on” before and after our normal working day.

The trade union have spoken about the “mental health endemic” that is smothering our workforce. Gareth Murphy is head of campaigns within the FSU and feels that we must do something about this “always-on” culture to protect the mental health of our workforce. The hope is that employers will listen to the findings of the FSU research and put measures in place to ensure employees are not overusing technology, particularly outside of their contracted working hours.

Are you happy with the amount of quality time you are having with your family?

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