The latest workforce survey from The Conference Board, the think tank that provides insights into what’s to come, shows that more than a third of workers in the US report that their mental health has worsened, due to long hours and excessive workloads, among other reasons.
For example, the survey found that nearly half of those who reported a decline in mental health worked more than 50 hours per week.
The survey asked more than 1,100 people, mostly office workers, who gave opinions about their mental health, levels of commitment and job security.
“Mental health is defined as a state of mind characterized by emotional well-being, good behavioral adjustment, a relative absence of anxiety and disabling symptoms, and the ability to form constructive relationships and cope with the ordinary demands and stresses of life. ”, says the report.
Relevant data from the survey:
· 34% say that their level of mental health is lower than six months ago.
· 37% say that their sense of belonging is less.
· Despite declining engagement (the desire to go above and beyond), nearly 70% say they are working harder than is expected of them.
· 37% say their level of engagement is lower than it was six months ago.
· Nearly 70% of workers who report a decline in mental health also report a decline in engagement levels.
· 48% of workers who report a decline in mental health work more than 50 hours a week.
· 49% of women say that increased workload/hours harms their mental health, compared to 39% of men.
· More than 1 in 4 workers (26%) say that a toxic work culture is having an impact on their mental health.
· 38% don’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about their mental health, more than double the number (18 percent) who didn’t feel comfortable a year ago.
· 50% needed time off to address mental health issues, but did not explicitly request a mental health break.
· Instead, workers took unofficial mental health days (13%), used sick days (19%), or continued to work (18%).
What could help address these mental health issues?
The Conference Board notes that flexibility and work-life balance are the top things workers think would help. More than half say it would be helpful to be able to take “no work” PTO days without feeling guilty.
“This survey reveals that many workers are really struggling with their mental health. This could be due to a combination of factors both inside and outside of the workplace, but the fact remains that it can have a huge impact on job performance,” said Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board.
“Workers need the ability to really log off and restart, but many companies now recognize that this can be a huge challenge when their colleagues are still working. Some companies have opted for ‘no work’ days or weeks when everyone is off, disconnecting their employees may simply mean making sure everyone has a backup set up and putting in place strict no-contact policies for staff on vacation,” he added. Ray.
Keep reading:
· A large part of US government workers do not take vacations and feel exhausted
Survey shows some employees spend up to half a week pretending to be busy instead of working
Only 2 in 10 Americans have a “best friend” at work