More than one in three UK employees say they are working with anxiety, depression or stress, according to research.

The study by consultancy PwC has suggested that 34% of the UK workforce may have a health and wellbeing issue, with the most common being anxiety, depression and stress.

The survey of 2,000 workers across the UK, from junior level through to managing directors, found nearly a quarter (23%) felt their organisation did not take employee wellbeing seriously, and 54% said they worked for companies that did not offer health benefits such as counselling, health screening and subsidised gym memberships.

Two in five (39%) of those polled said they had taken time off work or reduced their responsibilities because of their health. Of those, 39% did not feel comfortable telling their employer about the issue.

Health and wellbeing also had a significant impact on performance, with 83% of workers believing their wellbeing influenced how productive they were. Pressures such as dealing with customers and clients and long hours had the biggest impact on workplace wellbeing.

Jo Salter, director in PwC’s people and organisations business, said: “It’s becoming increasingly important for organisations to provide employees with support for their emotional and physical health at work. Healthier and happier staff perform better, stay in their business longer and reduce costs and risks for organisations. Understanding and addressing the root causes of employee wellbeing is the first step to resolving the underlying issues.”

Separately, a £1.5 million programme designed to open up employment opportunities for young Londoners with mental health conditions has been announced.

The funding from the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, will help young people in the capital with mental health issues to find and maintain employment.

The trust is working in partnership with Centre for Mental Health and is part of City Bridge Trust’s new Bridge To Work programme, which supports young, disadvantaged Londoners into employment.

The programme will use individual placement support, with the Centre for Mental Health using the funding to help young people across London in areas where support services are not yet available, including the boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Bromley and Lewisham. Ref: Nic Paton Aug 2017