Canadian office workers are struggling with their health and wellbeing more than two years into the pandemic, As organizations welcome employees back to the workplace in various forms, a new report says they would be wise to consider amping up mental health supports as soon as possible.
As Manulife’s 2021 Wellness Report found, 48 per cent of employees are experiencing at least one work-related mental health risk factor.
“Employee mental health patterns could be K-shaped as we move through the next phase of the pandemic,” said Dr. Georgia Pomaki, Director, Mental Health Best Practices, Manulife. “One arm of the K represents employees who are excited about reopening and returning to the office—the other represents a group of employees who are facing mental health challenges and significant fatigue: for this group, a return to office may feel overwhelming. Organizations need to consider both groups to design effective and supportive return to office programs.”
56 Manulife Group sponsors participated in the 2021 Wellness Report and 6,141 employees responded to the online surveys. The Wellness Report surveys were conducted in February, May, and October 2021.
The report highlights that 16 per cent of working hours (41 days) were lost in 2021 due to absences and presenteeism. Lack of work-life balance is the number one mental health risk factor, while work-related stress affected employees’ sleep the most. Workers also said they’re not making healthy choices mainly due to mental fatigue.
These findings suggest employers should consider placing significantly more focus on culture and wellness programs in 2022 and beyond, particularly as large employee populations return to Canadian offices in the near future.
Dr. Pomaki suggests mental health supports like virtual psychotherapy, employee assistance programs, and mindfulness sessions to improve employee health and well-being.
“Organizations can help employees by removing barriers to accessing these benefits, increasing communications about available products and services, and helping reduce the stigma around their use,” she said. “Given what we have been living through the past two years, if there’s ever a time to accelerate these efforts, the time is now.”
