'Long-hours culture' must be addressed as part of workplace wellbeing agenda - study

More workplaces are recognising the need for employee wellbeing to be high on its agenda, according to a new study.

Mental health services are being provided by 12% more employers.

The research by HR group CIPD was carried out along with University of Limerick with 500 people responding.

Mary Connaughton from CIPD describes the way workplaces are bringing in mental health supports.

"We're seeing much more education in this space to actually make people aware of it," said Ms Connaughton.

"There's a lot more about encouraging conversation. It's not treated as something that should be hidden.

"We're trying to make mental health something we talk about the same way as we would physical health and not have any sort of stigma attached to it."

It also found that there has been an increase in mental health supports provided by employers.

Tackling the "long-hours culture" is high on the agenda for many employers.

Ms Connaughton said that it is more on leaders' agenda this year than in previous years.

She said that it is something that has to be addressed as part of the wellbeing agenda.