The way we are working isn’t working. Even though an estimated 1 in 5 adults lives with a mental health illness, the stigma around discussing our mental health is still a barrier to receiving care. This is increasingly evident in our workplaces. A recent survey by McKinsey found that 37% of employees with a mental health illness reported that they avoid seeking care because they were afraid of others finding out.
Burnout, depression, and anxiety are common challenges that can be increased by workplace stress and lack of work-life balance. Increasingly, mental health challenges are becoming part of our normal lives, with work demands increasing due to emotionally draining environments and a lack of recognition. A 2021 survey found that 84% of respondents stated there is at least one workplace factor that is negatively impacting their mental health status.
Increasingly, more people are leaving their jobs due to mental health reasons and this number is rising at an alarming rate. In 2019, 34% of people stated they were leaving a job due to mental health, the 2021 survey found this has risen to 50%. This number could continue to rise as 91% of people also responded that they believe their company’s culture should support mental health, up from 86% in 2019, but still less than half of people felt their experience talking about their mental health at work was well received.
These issues don’t only affect workers though; companies are starting to feel the impact as well. In 2019, over 200 million workdays were lost due to mental health issues, adding up to an estimated $16.8 billion loss in productivity. With the growth of mental health issues, productivity losses continue to increase. Workers reported they only performed at 72% capacity over the past year and missed eight days of work on average due to mental health. The survey found that these people were also more likely to leave their positions due to mental health reasons.
Increased support for mental health benefits employees and employers
The good news is that workplaces have started to recognize the need to better support not only employees’ physical health but mental health as well. Companies have started to invest in workplace mental health with more paid time off, company-wide mental health days, mental health training, and importantly, offering time off during the workday to attend therapy sessions. And employees are beginning to take advantage of increased day-to-day support, such as extended or more frequent breaks.
Companies that take steps to better support mental health are seeing their investments pay off. Workers who feel supported were 26% less likely to report mental health symptoms, three times more likely to be comfortable speaking with a manager about their mental health, and were significantly more likely to stay at their current company. Additionally, these employees were less likely to miss work or underperform and had higher overall job satisfaction.
Telepsychiatry offers secure, confidential care
Companies have a growing number of options to provide better mental health support and advocate for their employees’ mental health. With many workers remaining remote, and the lingering stigmas around mental health issues, more patients are seeking care through telepsychiatry.
By partnering with MindCare, you can deliver best-in-class, end-to-end telebehavioral health services to employees from world-class providers. With over 100 board-certified psychiatrists and behavioral health professionals, we are available 24/7 to bring the best care to your employees. Our secure telepsychiatry platform ensures that patients can discuss their symptoms and receive an effective care plan without the worry of workplace stigma, in the comfort of their own home. All our sessions are conducted in the strictest of confidence on our HIPAA-compliant platform, so companies and employees can rest assured that their care is in good hands.
