How employers are failing their staff on mental health in the post-pandemic workplace.

Key takeaways (or a 5-minute read below)

• The pandemic has had a profound impact on people's mental health, particularly within the work environment.
• Over two-thirds of employees are ready to resign as they feel their employers have not fulfilled promises on mental health and wellbeing.
• There is mounting evidence to suggest that staff value company purpose and overall wellbeing in the workplace the same as, or more than their salary.
• I'm interested in hearing about your experiences, either as an employer or as an employee. What's worked, and what hasn't? Let us know in the comments.

Mental health is now an even bigger issue that it already was

The pandemic has brought challenges to us all, from the professional and financial to the practical and emotional. I doubt anyone reading this hasn’t suffered some such stresses in the past eighteen months. I wrote last week in 'Why almost half your staff are thinking of leaving and how to stop them' about the ‘great resignation’, but I think before this comes the ‘great reflection’ when the stresses since 2020 have led to a consideration of the workplace experience.

Research from earlier this year by Martin Hagger (@martinhagger) Ph.D. Professor of Health Psychology, University of California, Merced, and Professor of Behavior Change, University of Jyv?skyl?, Finland outlines these challenges well; “…researchers have noted marked increases in levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and loneliness in the overall population over the course of the pandemic. The effects of the pandemic are widespread and affect multiple aspects of mental health and multiple populations and groups… Those whose children are not in school and cannot afford childcare have increased anxiety and stress due to having to care full time or home school their children, while also managing their jobs. Many are struggling to cope with the lack of social contact, particularly those who live alone…”

A prolonged period of working from home for many was just one of several the practical changes the pandemic has brought, and with this shift of location and staffing needs, came a change to how employers recognize and manage signs of stress and disengagement.

Scary stats for employers, worrying for staff wellbeing

Digging further into this is a recent survey from Talkspace an online behavioral healthcare company of more than 1,000 full-time employees, which found that 67% of employees who are ready to resign think employers have not fulfilled early pandemic promises around mental health and well-being. Other key takeaways from this fascinating survey include:

• 41% of all American employees are likely to consider a job change to resolve stress.?Employees are bypassing helpful company policies, such as changing teams or short-term leaves, in favor of resigning.
• Nearly 1 in 4 employees believe their physical health has suffered because of their job?and at least 25% are?underperforming regularly due to stress.
• Employees under 35 and working mothers?are having greater reactions to stress and are most likely to change jobs or careers or quit in the next six months.
• Although 52% of all employees report burnout,?less than 20% of them are using the company benefits they believe are “most helpful” for mental health. This signals that employees may not be fully aware of what’s available or may not feel comfortable taking advantage of certain benefits.
• Nearly 60% of employees believe that supportive management can improve retention.?'A manager that prioritizes mental health' is more highly ranked by employees than both a strong office culture and mentorship.
• Employees want more than pay?– six of the top ten reasons employees would stay at a job related to management, leadership, and culture across all demographics.

Companies need strategies to tackle these issues head-on

“The data is clear: employees are struggling to find healthy coping mechanisms to manage chronic stress,” said?Dr. Varun Choudhary, MD, MA, DFAPA, Chief Medical Officer of Talkspace.?“This new study suggests that employee well-being is shaped by many varying experiences - from managerial relationships to workplace policies, and available mental health and wellbeing resources. It’s critical that employers pay attention to pain points and implement effective solutions that counteract chronic stress, enhance workplace culture and improve retention.”

Of course, each individual and every company is different, and facing challenges is a very personal issue. But there’s no doubt that many companies can do better in how they engage with their staff, particularly during tough times.

We at Impactful believe that a strong values-based company is best placed to build a strong culture that supports and nurtures staff. There are many ways to genuinely promote company purpose and engage with employees on their own values, and we’d love to talk to you about how your company is working with a purpose to build a stronger team.

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