Workplace Mental Health Statistics for May Is Mental Health Awareness Month #6
May 9th — Statistic #6
From Lyra’s 2022 State of Workforce Mental Health Survey Report:
The top four issues workers reported impacting their mental health over the past 12 months were:
- COVID-19–66%
- Work-Related Stress — 37%
- Economic Uncertainty — 32%
- Family and Relationships — 30%
My Thoughts and Comments:
It is not surprising that COVID-19 took the #1 spot, nor is the percentage it received surprising either. In some ways, I am surprised the percentage number is not higher. The 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic has certainly been a significant and upending life altering event.
What is interesting is that there is not a significant percentage point spread between the remaining top three issues. The fact that stress was #2 at 37% is not surprising either given the impacts of COVID-19 and the ever accelerating pace of change with the uncertainty it brings with it.
What I find even more interesting is that despite all the chatter in the workplace literature today about burnout, employee burnout was not listed in the top four issues.
So what’s an employer to do?
Based on this data, despite many experiencing COVID fatigue, the wise employer keeps the issue of COVID front and center in their employee health and welfare plan with its accompanying strategies. The wise employer will also ramp up their efforts to deal with workplace stress, focusing not just on the management of stress, but by also acknowledging and addressing stress as the system it really is.
Here is the link to Friday’s statistic: https://williammcpeck.medium.com/workplace-mental-health-statistics-for-may-is-mental-health-awareness-month-5-c7e4c2bd5ec5
