Mental health issues in the workplace have received increased attention in recent years as employers work to destigmatize discussions of mental health and support employees through wellness benefits and programs.
However, many American employees remain at significant risk for mental health crises, including self-harm and suicidal thoughts, according to data recently collected by Wysa. Younger workers are especially vulnerable to mental health issues, with 35% of 18-24 year olds reporting recent self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
“While mental health crises among the workforce are not a new phenomenon, it is alarming to see rising rates of depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts,” said Smriti Joshi, principal psychologist at Wysa. “While there have been several headlines in recent years about C-suite executives going through mental health crises, the reality is that these issues can happen to anyone at any stage in their career.”
An independent survey of more than 2,000 employees across a range of industries found that workers feel unprepared to help colleagues struggling with mental health issues, with 12% saying they had experienced a colleague attempt or die by suicide in the past year.
Other mental health issues employees report include emotional distance from others (33%), feeling isolated or withdrawn (29%), preoccupation with the past (26%), distractibility or lack of humor (25%), and persistent feelings of hopelessness (23%). Despite increased attention to the mental health crisis plaguing the American workforce, many employees are reluctant to seek help from their employers, with 38% saying they believe their employers view mental health as an issue unrelated to work. Employees also report concerns that disclosing their mental health condition could lead their managers to be more critical of their work or question their abilities, result in lost opportunities for career advancement, or have their concerns ignored.
Even more concerning is that 22% of employees say they have experienced their manager responding inappropriately to a colleague who is showing signs or symptoms of mental illness. More than one in three feel their company leaders don’t communicate about mental health, and 34% feel their employer treats mental health as a “tick box” task rather than taking it seriously.
“As managers and HR leaders, it can be frustrating to wonder why our overall employee mental health metrics are worsening when it feels like we’re talking about and addressing these issues more than ever before,” Joshi asks. “Unfortunately, the survey results show that many employees don’t trust that their organization’s managers actually want to help solve this problem. This is where it’s important for organizations to show, not just say, when it comes to mental health. Companies need to earn their employees’ trust by responding appropriately to the signs and symptoms of mental illness, providing the space, resources and training for employees to seek help, and being prepared to acknowledge that mental health is as much a work issue as it is a personal one.”
