65% of employers believe implications on worker mental health from COVID-19 will negatively impact business performance long-term, leaders not prepared
Unmind, the workplace mental health platform, and WELCOA have released a new research report that illuminates growing concerns on the state of employee wellbeing and resilience following the impact of the global pandemic. The study sheds light on a disconnect between employer intentions to support employee mental health and their ability to act effectively.
The 2021 Resilience Survey Report provides an analysis of survey responses on topics covering mental health awareness and employer support. It also outlines recommendations to guide leaders on creating and implementing strategies to take action.
Unmind and WELCOA collected responses from 228 U.S. employers and 1,000 U.S. employees from a number of industries. Despite evidence from leaders that mental health implications of COVID-19 will negatively impact business performance over the next 12 months (65%), and a shared belief that support for employee wellbeing is critical in attracting and retaining talent in the future (93%), the findings surface two main obstacles in the way of progress: senior leadership buy-in and a lack of budget.
“As this new survey shows, organizations (90%) are concerned about employee burnout, but with only 27% senior leadership buy-in, there is still a disconnect,” said Laura Becker, Research Manager, Employee Experience, IDC. “Using technology platforms like Unmind to drive action within the organization and ensuring alignment between the C-suite, management, and workforce will develop a culture of empathetic leadership focused on workforce wellbeing.”
Additional insights include:
- 64% of employers have seen employees’ working hours increased since the pandemic started; the majority (44%) cited this increase as anywhere from 10% to 24% over previous working hours.
- Only 37% of employers feel they have a strong understanding of the mental health and wellbeing of their people.
- Only 31% of employees feel like their employer has taken steps to support their mental health.
“The research makes clear that a large proportion of our workforces have been impacted by the events over the last year, with many employees finding it difficult to cope day to day. But there’s a positive aspect. Mental health has been brought to the forefront of our conversations — in the media, our personal lives, and the workplace. Our data shows a huge demand for mental health support among our workforces and a real understanding of its importance among leaders. Now organizations aren’t only seeing mental health as a problem — they’re seeing it as an opportunity to help their people to thrive in work and life,” said Dr. Nick Taylor, CEO and co-founder at Unmind.
