Many workers coping with emotional stress as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic feel their employers are not providing adequate mental health support, according to a survey from Headspace for Work.
In a poll of 5,085 working adults in the U.S. and four other countries across 21 industries, 54% of respondents reported being stressed or extremely stressed this year, down from 61% in 2020. Sixty-four percent of respondents said they have used mental health solutions offered by employers, up from 59% in a similar poll from one year earlier.
But only 29% of respondents said their employers were doing an excellent or very good job of responding to the pandemic, down from 41% one year earlier, while 18% fewer employees reported having employer-provided mental health solutions at their current disposal compared with the previous year.
The top sources for stress among employees were financial worries (47%), work-life balance (38%) and work-related stress (36%).
Women reported being more stressed than men ”“ 58% to 46% ”“ and mental health benefits were the third more important consideration among job seekers looking for a new opportunity, with flexible hours and work-from-home options ranked first and second and retirement savings plans ranked fourth.
“We see things steadily improving, but we still have a long road to help people find a state of normal and for employers to provide the needed resources to support employee mental health,” said Cindy Bladow, chief business officer at Headspace.
“People are still trying to adjust to a situation that is changing constantly, and the stress is taking a toll on everyone. Employer-provided mental health solutions have never been more in demand.”
