Mental health has declined for countless people since the coronavirus pandemic, and it°®¶¹app™s affecting worker productivity, one report suggests.
A majority of workers °®¶¹app“ 87%, according to a survey of more than 3,460 people °®¶¹app“ experienced at least one mental health issue last year. And in the U.S., most employees, 65%, indicated that interfered with their ability to work.
°®¶¹appœThe most common mental health conditions °®¶¹app“ depression and anxiety °®¶¹app“ continue to affect huge swaths of the workforce,°®¶¹app the State of Workforce Mental Health 2024 report said. °®¶¹appœAnd while fewer employees this year cited issues like stress and burnout among their top mental health challenges, more workers are experiencing severe, complex issues such as eating-related problems, substance-use disorders, and suicidal ideation.°®¶¹app
Lyra Health, which provides mental health benefits to 15 million people globally, said it worked with PureSpectrum for an online survey of 1,910 U.S. employees. The survey, between Aug. 18 and Sept. 29 last year, was for workers 18 and older.
This is the first year the survey was extended to workers beyond the U.S. More than 1,500 employees in Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan and the U.K. were also included, along with 250 HR and benefits leaders in the U.S. All those responding work for larger organizations with 1,000 or more employees.
Nearly four years after COVID-19 is no longer part of daily conversations, employees are still navigating the °®¶¹appœcollective trauma°®¶¹app from the global pandemic while still trying to cope on professional and personal levels, Lyra Health said in its report.
°®¶¹appœThe epidemiological data after large events like a global pandemic show that the true impact in terms of serious mental health issues is not during, but usually a couple of years after when we start to see people really experience a significant mental health impact,°®¶¹app Alethea Varra, senior vice president of clinical care at Lyra Health, said in a statement.
Factors contributing to a diminished well-being include salaries that are outpaced by inflation, mass layoffs and a feeling of helplessness amid international wars and climate-related disasters, the State of Workforce Mental Health report said.
Crystal Kelly, a licensed mental health counselor in Fort Wayne, agrees that some people are still struggling in the aftermath of COVID, trying to find balance in work and life.
°®¶¹appœPeople are struggling with knowing how to set healthy boundaries, such as not being able to know what their limits are and being OK with saying no, especially at work,°®¶¹app Kelly said in an email response.
This can be particularly difficult for mothers, who are torn between fully devoting themselves at work and the potential they°®¶¹app™ll miss out on some activities and stages in their children°®¶¹app™s lives. That state of worrying prevents them from being mentally present at work, Kelly said, let alone tending to their own needs.
°®¶¹appœThere are people who are not investing in self-care, and when you don°®¶¹app™t invest in self-care you°®¶¹app™ll continue to run on empty, which can cause burnout, physical, emotional, and mental health issues,°®¶¹app said Kelly, owner of Uniquely You Counseling & Wellness Center, LLC.
Lyra Health said it started producing the State of Workforce Mental Health report four years ago to better understand challenges that organizations, business leaders and workers are facing. It also saw an opportunity, the report said, to highlight the tools and opportunities today°®¶¹app™s leaders have to make positive change.
Survey responses from HR and employee benefits leaders show that most organizations strive to provide workers with the appropriate mental health resources. But the findings also suggest that °®¶¹appœcompanies°®¶¹app™ workforce mental health strategies do not necessarily address the full spectrum of needs,°®¶¹app the report said.
While stress and burnout are less common, based on survey responses, more workers are struggling with serious conditions, such as severe or chronic depression and/or anxiety (11% compared with 10% in 2022 and 6% in 2021), and substance-use disorders (5% compared with 3% in 2022 and 2% in 2021.) When it comes to self-harm and suicidal thoughts, 2% increases were reported for 2023 compared with 2022.
Workers who have children with mental health issues often struggle more.
While employers increasingly pledge support for workers°®¶¹app™ mental health, the Workforce Mental Health report says 55% of U.S. employees said they°®¶¹app™re unsure or disagree that the company°®¶¹app™s leadership team understands their mental health needs, consistent with previous years°®¶¹app™ research.
°®¶¹appœThese findings signal an important opportunity for employers to reframe their approach to mental health benefits,°®¶¹app the report said.
And workers can be proactive with a bit of self-examination, according to Kelly.
Key questions to consider:
°®¶¹app¢ Are you showing up to work late, or calling off more than usual?
°®¶¹app¢ Are you isolating from others?
°®¶¹app¢ Has your appetite declined or are you overeating?
°®¶¹app¢ Are you more irritable, lashing out in anger? Not feeling motivated or having the energy to do anything?
°®¶¹app¢ Are you having suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harming behaviors?
Managers in organizations can help alleviate the strains on mental health, partly by offering a full spectrum of benefits that support well-being, the report said.
°®¶¹appœEmployees who are struggling with these conditions can present as if they°®¶¹app™re doing pretty well,°®¶¹app said Joe Grasso, senior director of Lyra°®¶¹app™s Workforce Transformation team. °®¶¹appœYou can°®¶¹app™t make assumptions about the challenges someone might be facing. That°®¶¹app™s why organizations need to broaden their mental health care offerings and anti-stigma campaigns to more directly address serious mental illness.°®¶¹app
To share a thought, a favorite quote or other wisdom about leadership, email Lisa Green at lisagreen@jg.net. Lead On also appears online as a blog at .
