Employees are struggling with mental health and its driving turnover. To make matters worse, many employers are unaware of the problem. That’s the gist of a recent report from Modern Health that found that 77% of employees experiencing a toxic workplace say their employers think the office is healthier than it really is.
According to the study, many mental health issues that were predicted to decline post-pandemic are still stubbornly prevalent. Over half of Gen Z workers (58%) reported life being easier during the pandemic, and 54% said their mental health had not recovered. What’s more, just 16% said they believed their employers’ mental health support had improved, and 58% believed critical gaps remained.
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Some of the mental health problems plaguing the workforce are directly related to work. Sixty-two percent of respondents reported feeling compelled to work through burnout, and 61% said they believed their employers prioritized productivity over wellbeing. Moreover, many workers thought their organizations’ support methods for such mental health problems were inadequate. Just 36% said they felt their employers provided sufficient mental health resources, and 81% said they wanted more benefits.
The study suggests workers’ misgivings could negatively impact their companies. Beyond the common sense workplace consequences of low morale (sagging productivity and creativity, for example), 38% employees say they consider leaving because of poor support. Notably, that number is much higher among Gen Z (60%).
Dr. Neha Chaudhary, Chief Medical Officer at Modern Health, believes businesses have clear incentives to improve their workers’ mental health:
“With such a majority reporting their mental health has never fully recovered, these insights offer a powerful call to action: employers who want to drive long-term success in today’s competitive market should prioritize an authentic and supportive culture in order to enhance workforce resilience, boost productivity, and retain employees.”
Mental health initiatives often prove difficult, even when the intentions are good. Half of the study’s respondents said they’d rather talk to an AI chatbot than their HR department about mental health problems and concerns.
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