Employee mental health continues to deteriorate as the pandemic drags on, according to a new study. However, the main driving factor behind this decline is work overload.
Around 57% of workers said their mental health has deteriorated since the start of the pandemic, confirmed the latest findings from The Conference Board. In fact, work pressures are so great that half of respondents say work demands are taking a bigger toll on their mental health than Covid-19.
BURNOUT CONCERNS SKYROCKET
Key findings from the nationwide survey reveal that burnout concerns have skyrocketed. Nearly eight in 10 workers are concerned about their mental health. More than three quarters (77%) list concerns like stress and burnout as one of their biggest well-being challenges at work; that’s compared to a little over half (55 percent) reporting mental wellbeing concerns six months ago.
Despite the long-lasting pandemic, concerns over mental health are nearly double those of physical health (77% compared to 40%). What’s more, the survey reveals a stark gender divide. Women are disproportionately suffering from work-related pressures; at more than 1.5 times the rate of their male counterparts. This is likely due to the combined pressure of work and home life. The survey examines the declining mental health of workers and what business efforts are most effective in addressing this growing crisis.
WORK OVERLOAD HURTING MENTAL HEALTH
Work pressures are hurting mental health more than Covid-19, the report highlighted. Half of respondents (50%) reported that pressure related to workload harmed their mental health. Women (56%) and Millennials (60%) report their mental health suffered from workload pressure more than their counterparts; men (37%), Gen X (53%) and Baby Boomers (39%).
Additionally, blurred boundaries between work and personal life impacted 44% of respondents, revealed the report. Women (48%) and Millennials (54%) also report blurred boundaries impacted them more than their counterparts; men (34%), Gen X (47%), Baby Boomers (32%). “The pandemic blurred the line between work and home life, due in part to continuous connectivity and an increased sense of urgency due to the economic crisis,” said Amy Lui Abel, Vice President, Human Capital Research at The Conference Board. “These findings reveal the notable impact this lack of boundaries has had and speaks to the need for leaders to both reevaluate the efficacy of programmes to support worker well-being and to better communicate about the availability of these resources.”
Additionally, 37% said that fear of exposing loved ones to Covid-19 substantially impacted their mental health. Furthermore, over half (57%) feel their mental health has deteriorated to some degree during the pandemic. More women (60%) reported a deterioration of mental health than men (48%). Age is also a factor, with more 63% of Millennials reporting that their mental health had suffered compared to Gen X (59%) and Baby Boomers (47%).
MENTAL HEALTH TSUNAMI
“We have long predicted that the pandemic would bring a tsunami of mental health issues; 19 months later, the toll on workers is unrelenting; and in some cases, continuing to worsen,” stated Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board. “Women in particular face a disproportionate amount of pressure due to the combined demands of work and home life. If business leaders hope to cultivate a second-to-none workforce, especially in this tight labour market, improving the employee experience by providing flexibility must play a key role in their business strategy.”
More maintained their regular physical health regimen than a mental health regimen. Nearly half (49%) were able to keep up their regular physical health regimen during the pandemic, compared to only 30% who were able to keep up a regular mental health regimen. More than a quarter (28%) don’t have a regular mental health regimen, compared to those who lack a physical health regimen (4%).
Supervisors care about their employees the report noted, but just how far will they go to support them? Most respondents (75%) felt their supervisor genuinely cares about their wellbeing, which confirms findings of another survey. But significantly fewer (only 55%) think their supervisor would change their workload to address their mental health concerns.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Organisational wellbeing initiatives are not as helpful as many may have hoped, and there’s plenty of room for improvement. Half of respondents (54%) feel that their organisation’s initiatives to support their wellbeing were either not helpful (18%) or slightly helpful at best (36%).
Workers value support balancing their workload, staying social, and being healthy. Some resources to support wellbeing were more available than others. Programmes that support emotional wellbeing, were available for 82% of staff surveyed. Around 79% confirmed access to online resources and tools on wellbeing; 78% cited formal policies that support work/life integration; and 74% programmes for wellbeing education.
Of those for whom it was available, formal policies that support work-life integration were considered the most effective, with half of respondents (50%) reporting them helpful. Activities for social wellness and belonging (48%) and incentives for healthy habits (41%). Women (39%) and Millennials (46%) are currently taking advantage of formal policies that support work/life integration more than their counterparts; men (30%), Gen X (38%) and Baby Boomers (27%).
FLEXIBILITY MATTERS
Flexibility also helps. Nearly 70% believe that flexible work policies, like remote work and flexible hours, have supported their mental health to some degree. There were no significant differences by gender or generation. However, going forwards the majority of workers, both in the US and UK, want employers to prioritise work-life balance with flexible work arrangements, according to a new study. Click here to read more.
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