- 50% of workers in the UK report that their mental health has worsened since the outbreak of COVID
- Half of workers feel overwhelmed at work; with nearly half (48%) experiencing ‘burn out’, and more than a third (35%) feeling depressed
- However, only one third of companies have increased their wellbeing spend since the start of the pandemic
- 70% of company directors believe workforce wellbeing has become more important for investors today than 10 years ago
Today marks the launch of new report ‘Making Mental Health Top of the Agenda’. Based on nationwide research commissioned by leading digital mental health provider SilverCloud, the report reveals the impact that the pandemic and cost of living crisis has had on employees’ mental health in the last six months. Insights from Ben, the automotive industry charity, have been included in the report.
Fifty percent have felt overwhelmed at work; with nearly half (48%) experiencing ‘burn out’, and more than a third (35%) feeling depressed. However, despite these findings, only a third of companies have increased their staff wellbeing investment since the start of the pandemic, leaving 50% of workers actively wanting more support.
Mental health in the workplace is no longer a ‘nice to have’, but instead should be viewed through a strategic lens that supports both economic impact and individual wellbeing. Businesses have a key responsibility to support and build a resilient workforce and put tools in place to manage and even prevent mental health issues in the first place," says Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School, Manchester University.
Employees also reported that poor mental health impacts their performance at work:
- Concentration levels negatively affected (60%)
- Productivity levels diminished (56%)
- Quality of work reduced (40%)
- Relationships with colleagues affected (26%).
