Women leading surge in mental health leaves, study finds
More than 1 in 10 leaves of absence in the workplace were due to mental health during quarter one of 2024.
Mental health continues to be an underemphasized and overlooked aspect of wellness in the workplace. A new study released by ComPsych, a Chicago-based mental health and absence management services company, revealed that more than one in ten leaves of absence in the workplace were due to mental health during quarter one of 2024.
The data represents a 22% increase in mental health related leaves of absence compared to those taken in the first quarter of 2023.
The alarming trend of increased mental health related absences from work is being driven by female workers who accounted for 69% of all mental health leaves of absence in 2023 and 71% of all mental health leaves of absence in the first quarter of 2024.
“There is a growing mental health crisis among female workers,” said Dr. Jennifer Birdsall, Clinical Director of ComPsych. “Working women – especially moms and other caregivers – often neglect their self-care until they hit the point of being so burnt out they need to take a leave of absence. The more organizations can support resiliency-building, teaching self-care and prioritizing work life balance before things escalate into significant symptoms with functional impacts, the better. This is where the continuum of care, which includes prevention, comes into play.”
According to the study, more Americans took mental health related leaves of absence in the first quarter of the year than those for accidents, cancer, COVID-19, heart disease and heart attack, combined.
Mental health related leaves of absence have grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing 300% from 2017 to 2023 and 33% in 2023 alone.
Read more: Workplace mental health: Focusing on the cause rather than remedies
“We know that investing in employee mental health upfront pays dividends – with happier, healthier teams and reduced absenteeism,” said Dr. Birdsall. “Employers need to invest in mental well-being strategies that span the continuum of care while arming their teams with knowledge about the support that is available. Trainings – for managers in particular – about how to discuss mental health and how to identify team members who could benefits from services is hugely important. This makes it possible for a person to get the help they need earlier, potentially resolving the challenge they’re facing before a leave of absence is necessary.”