Poll: Employers have accommodated worker mental health in pandemic, but problems remain
Over half of employees reported that their employers have become more accommodating to their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to results of a national public opinion poll by the American Psychiatric Association.
However, the poll found that fewer employees feel comfortable talking openly about mental health at work compared with last year.
“It’s not surprising that in light of the pandemic that mental health is on peoples’ and employers’ minds,” APA President Vivian Pender, MD, said in a press release. “What’s worrisome is that given this discussion, many people, particularly younger people, are still worried about retaliation if they take time off for mental health. This is stigma in action, and it has to stop.”
Between March 26 and April 5, the APA-sponsored online survey received responses from 1,000 adults aged 18 years or older.
Results showed most employees who worked from home said they experienced negative mental health effects, such as isolation, loneliness and difficulty disconnecting from work at day’s end. A total of 54% of employees said their employer became more accommodating to their mental health needs since the pandemic began, 15% reported less accommodation and 31% didn’t know. A total of 20% said their employed had offered additional mental health services, which declined from 35% last year. Further, 56% employees said they were able to talk openly about mental health with coworkers, and 56% said they could do so with supervisors, which dropped slightly from 65% and 62%, respectively. Regarding employers’ treatment of employees with mental health issues, 28% said their employer had become more supportive during the pandemic, 33% said the level of support remained the same a s before, 9% said less supportive and 31% didn’t know. A total of 38% of Hispanic employees, 36% of Black employees and 23% of white employees said their employer had become more supportive during the pandemic. A total of 42% of employees aged 18 to 29 years said their employer had become more supportive compared with 23% of employees aged 45 to 64 years.
Results also showed that 65% of employees felt their employer offered sufficient mental health care resources and benefits and 64% felt comfortable using those services with their employer, with similar responses across age groups and among Hispanic, Black and white employees. However, more than four in 10 employees were concerned about retaliation for seeking mental health care or for taking time off for their mental health.
A total of 60% of employees reported working at home at least a few days a month and 32% worked at home all the time, and nearly two-thirds of those who worked from home felt isolated or lonely at least sometimes and 17% did all the time. A total of 22% of those who worked from home at least part of the time reported always having trouble getting away from work at day’s end and 45% reported sometimes having this issue. Further, 73% of those aged 18 to 29 years and 73% of those aged 30 to 44 years were more likely to report feeling isolated or lonely working at home compared with 48% of those aged 45 to 64 years.
“The poll shows us that working from home, while it kept us safe from COVID-19 and brought some benefits, also meant many Americans felt lonely and isolated,” APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, MD, MPA, said in the release. “As we shift back into our offices, or whatever alternatives are made available, I encourage business and organizational leaders to visit the APA Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, which has resources on ensuring employees’ mental well-being through COVID and beyond.”
Reference:
APA. As Americans begin to return to the office, views on workplace mental health are mixed. Accessed May 21, 2021. Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/as-americans-begin-to-return-to-the-office-views-on-workplace-mental-health-are-mixed.