Hello. This is 6 Minute English. I’m Neil. |
And I’m Georgina. |
In this program we’re focussing on the topic of mental health at work. |
Yes, it’s an issue that can be difficult to see. |
If someone has an injury, like a broken leg or a serious medical issue, it’s obvious, and we can understand what’s happening. |
With mental health issues, though, there’s no physical sign and people who are experiencing difficulties maybe don’t get the same understanding as people who have medical problems. |
It’s a topic that has been getting more publicity recently, particularly as members of the British royal family have been talking about it. |
Also, awareness is raised through events such as World Mental Health Day. |
And that is the topic of our quiz. |
World Mental Health Day is held every year on October 10th. |
It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and their effects on people’s lives. |
In what year was it first held? |
Was it... A: 1992, B: 2002 or C: 2012? |
What do you think, Georgina? |
I don’t know – I think it will be older than 2012, but as old as 1992? I don’t know. I’m going to go with 2002. |
OK. I’ll have the answer later in the programme and we’ll see if you’re right. |
Mental health problems are very difficult personally for those who suffer from them, and they also have an impact on businesses. |
Paul Farmer is head of the mental health awareness charity Mind. |
He spoke on the BBC World Service Business Daily programme about this. |
How much does he says it costs businesses in the UK? |
We know that the cost of failing to address mental health in business is colossal. |
In the UK, it costs between 33 and 42 billion pounds a year, about $50 billion dollars, |
and round about 300,000 people fall out of work every year as a result of poor mental health. |
So that’s a huge cost to workplaces and to individuals. |
Behind those numbers, though, are the lives of talented, able, contributors |
who often just slide away from the workplace because they don’t get the right help and support for their mental health. |
What figures did Paul Farmer give there? |
He gave the figure of about between 33 and £42 billion – which is about $50 billion dollars. |
That’s a lot of money! |
It is – in fact he called it colossal. |
This adjective means huge – really, really big. |
This is the cost to business he says of failing to address the mental health issue. |
Failing to address means ignoring or not dealing with the problems. |
It leads to staff leaving work, and he says these people are contributors, they give something to the business in terms of their skill and experience. |
And because of mental health issues, which could be addressed but aren’t, those contributors are being lost to the business. |
So it costs companies more money to recruit and train new staff, and you can’t always replace the experience that is lost. |
Let’s listen again. |
We know that the cost of failing to address mental health in business is colossal. |
In the UK, it costs between 33 and 42 billion pounds a year, about $50 billion dollars, |
and round about 300,000 people fall out of work every year as a result of poor mental health. |
So that’s a huge cost to workplaces and to individuals. |
Behind those numbers, though, are the lives of talented, able, contributors |
who often just slide away from the workplace because they don’t get the right help and support for their mental health. |
In recent years it seems as if there has been more understanding of mental health issues, not just in the workplace but in society as a whole. |
Geoff McDonald is a campaigner for the organisation Minds at Work. |
He spoke on the Business Daily programme about one way that things were getting a little better. |
I think what’s really changed is people telling their stories, and the more stories that we tell it kind of begins to normalise this. |
Every single story that we tell is like sending a lifeboat out into the ocean and the millions and millions of people who are suffering in silence, do you know what they do? |
They cling on to that lifeboat and they realise they’re not alone and they might just be normal. |
So, because more people are talking about this issue, it begins to normalise it. |
This means it becomes ‘normal’. It’s not unusual, strange or hidden. |
There are people who suffer in silence – they keep to themselves and hide their problems from others, |
but because there is more publicity about this topic, they can begin to feel that they are not alone and they don’t have to suffer in silence. |
People sharing their stories are like lifeboats for those who do suffer in silence. |
In this metaphor they can cling onto the lifeboats. |
Right, we’re going to another look at our vocabulary, but first let’s have the answer to today’s quiz. |
When was the first World Mental Health Day? |
Was it... A: 1992 B: 2002 or C: 2012? |
Georgina, what did you say? |
I thought it was 2002. |
It was actually earlier - 1992. Now, a review of our vocabulary. |
Failing to address is a phrase that means ignoring a problem or not trying to help with a problem. |
Something colossal is very, very big. |
A contributor is someone who has something to give, who is a positive benefit to, in this case, a business. |
Then we have the verb to normalise, meaning to make something normal. |
Someone who suffers in silence, doesn’t talk about their problems and may hide them from others. |
And finally, if you cling on to something, you hold on to it tightly, you don’t want to let it go. |
And that’s all from us from this programme. |
We look forward to your company again soon. |
Bye! |