Employee mental health challenges remain after the pandemic, research finds
7 in 10 employees say their mental health has stayed the same or worsened in the past year.
- 7 in 10 employees say their mental health has stayed the same or worsened in the past year;
- 61% have felt down, depressed or hopeless recently;
- 8 in 10 say they have struggled with nervousness, anxiousness and stress recently; and
- Nearly 70% are having trouble falling asleep.
The report identified five trends that are having an impact on mental health in the workplace.
Financial woes are the top stressor for employees. When the rate of inflation falls, not all employees benefit equally, economists say. Employees who spend a larger share of their paycheck on food and rent are more affected by the weight of high prices, even prices that aren’t continuing to rise. Combine this reality with the spate of layoffs, particularly in the tech industry, and it’s easy to see why the cost of living and financial instability top the list of employee concerns negatively affecting their mental health.
Technology is contributing to burnout. The continued evolution of workplace technology, especially in support of remote work, enables employees to be more efficient and productive. On the flipside, it also can blur work–life boundaries and contribute to stress and burnout. With smartphones, messaging apps and instant access to the cloud from anywhere, employees often feel pressure to be “always on” and respond in the moment, both during and outside work hours.
Managers are the problem and the solution. A manager can make or break the employee experience, and relationships with managers are the number one factor in job satisfaction, according to analysts. Most employees say managers significantly influence their mental health. A caring and supportive manager can improve their mental health, while a stress-inducing manager can have a negative impact.
Women need more mental health support for life stages. In recent years, employers increasingly have prioritized family forming benefits, including financial support for aspiring parents pursuing in vitro fertilization, adoption and surrogacy. Employers also are beginning to recognize the mental health implications of these life experiences for all aspiring parents and the need to provide more support, especially for women.
Related: What Is preventing employees from accessing their mental health benefits?
Gen Z is leading the charge toward change. Although feelings of stress and anxiety are running high across all generations, Gen Z is the most stressed and anxious generation, perhaps because Gen Zers have come of age during a global pandemic and in a technology saturated world.
“Making a bigger positive impact on employee mental health will require rapidly evolving not just benefits but workplace culture,” the report concluded. “Beginning with a deeper understanding of the challenges facing specific employee populations, leaders will need to identify key gaps and deficiencies in both areas, be open with their employees about them and put a plan in place, communicating often about progress.”