Tag: Morneau Shepell

Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health Index 2021-2212

It has provided some fascinating insight by tracking the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the working population. So what are the key takeaway’s?

 

Perceptions of overall psychological health

Most concerningly; people’s perceptions of their overall psychological health has declined.

This measure is indicative of how working Britons categories their mental health and is a very strong indicator of your future mental health.

• April 2020 -2.1
• Jan 2021 -5.6

Not only is this figure negative, but still declining. This represents a risk, but not a destiny. These issues won’t just atomically improve when the pandemic ends, mental health doesn’t work like that. However, given the right wake up call to employers, with the right support, training and focus, this can be avoided.

Who is most impacted by the covid pandemic?

Savings, children and earning stability predicted the level of mental health through the pandemic.

• Those without emergency savings have the lowest mental health scores. This has been consistent month by month, in all regions. This isn’t purely a salary factor either, people with a higher income by low emergency savings have worse mental health scores than people with a low to moderate income.
• Those with children have lower sores that those in a similar situation who do not.
• Those with reduced salary / hours had worsening mental health through the year. Trying to keep people on can have unintended consequences which need to be managed. A reduction in salary creates lots of uncertainly and anxiety; a red flag for their future? Can they cope financially over time? Will their salary go back to normal? Would they be better looking for another job.. etc. The data shows that overtime this can have more of a negative mental health impact than losing your job in the first place.
• Additionally, those who are isolated fare worse in each situation.

Those who indicate better employer support have better mental health Index scores.

• Support from employers, being focussed and consistent on mental health, makes a massive difference in the scores.
• If employees scored their employers support for mental health needs ‘very well’, then their overall mental health score, only had a drop if -1.8. vs the -13 average
• Employees who rate their employers as ‘very poor’ had an overall decrease of -26.6
• What employers do matter, and maters more now than ever people

67% of British manages say working from home is helpful for their own mental health

• One third say there has been no impact, or it has made their mental health worse.
• It is helpful for some and others it isn’t – often dependant on specific situations.
• Having flexibility of both home and office work is best.

Key Highlights

• We finally realised that mental health is an issue for all, though some are more vulnerable. Having support, and scalable solutions so they are available to everyone, is very important.
• We depend on managers and recognise the need to support their mental health specifically. Providing appropriate resources and training is crucial.
• We saw how critical financial wellbeing is to employee mental health and wellbeing. As you think about your mental health strategy, make sure this is an area being considered, as they go hand in hand.
• We saw that employers support for mental health truly makes a meaningful difference. This is incredibly clear in the data.

Despite all the data, it is very important to understand that behind all of these numbers, there is a person and a family. Lots of people have been on very difficult journeys, and there have been and will be some fantastic stories of recovery too.

More information on Morneau Shepell’s Mental health Index can be found here; https://www.morneaushepell.com/ca-en/mental-health-index

Morneau Shepell are a leading provider of International Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP). A Global EAP allows a business to provide a consistent level of mental health support to employees across multiple international locations. You can find out more about Global EAP’s here;

Find more information on the full range of International Employee Benefits here

Find more information on International Business Health Insurance here

Morneau Shepell Mental Health Index (MHI) on managers at work

An excellent insight into how managers at work are dealing with the growing pressure of the pandemic. How they need to deal with their staff’s problems, and how it affects their overall happiness in their own job.

Employee productivity affected by the pandemic

Managers have had to deal with many new challenges. 1 in 4 managers say employee productively declined since the start of the pandemic, this increases pressure on management.

• 15% see more productive employees
• 26% see less productive employees
• 57% the same

Both employees and managers indicate concern for the mental health of others at work

• Everyone is thinking more about mental health, which is positive.
• 33% of employees are concerned about a co-workers mental health.
• 30% of managers concerned about the mean health of their team since the stat of the pandemic
• It is important for colleagues and managers to act on this and check-in, talk, and point people to support, like an IEAP

Managers dealing with staff mental health issues

4 in 5 managers have dealt with a specific mental health issue with at least one employee since the start of the pandemic

• 24% – Yes, and I have provided support or reminded people how to get support
• 35% – Yes, I have seen concerning behaviour changes, but I am not sure what to do
• 20% – Yes, an employee(s) have brought it up with me, but I am not sure what to do
• 21% – No, I have not had any mental health issues come up with an employee.
• Having no support is extremely stressful for managers
• Shows how important it is to train manages on what to do.

Why managers considering leaving their jobs

More than 4 in 10 managers have thought about leaving their jobs in 2020

• In a stressed environment, one of the key indicators is people looking to exit the situation
• Managers are more at risk of turnover than employees
• 44% of managers considering new jobs vs 28% of non-managers
• If I the job for 1 year or less, this increases to 52% vs 33% for employees in their job for 10 years or more

More than half of managers say their role changed since the pandemic, most of those think the change is permanent

• 58% of manages say their role has changed significantly as a result of the pandemic
• 67% of those say the change in their role will continue after the pandemic

Why are managers looking to leave their current roles?

• 56% Increased mental stress at work
• 32% Increased mental stress at home
• 31% Employers response to pandemic
• 11% My employers response to issues of race and diversity
• 6% Better pay / advancement – This was the primary driver pre-pandemic

Separately, 48% of all employees (managers and non-managers) indicated the reason for considering leaving their job is a mental stress factor. This was also the top single reason.

Need for employee support

Most common ask of managers is more support for the mental health and wellbeing of employees

• 41% More support for mental health and welling of my team
• 38% More training
• 33% More support for my own mental health and wellbeing
• 30% Additional policy guidance
• 17% Nothing

For more insights, please select one of the following articles;

Morneau Shepell; MHI – Key findings and further information

Morneau Shepell; Employers Connect – Virtual Mental Health Summit

Morneau Shepell; MHI – The Pandemic’s impact on mental health & productivity

Morneau Shepell; MHI – The importance of Financial Wellbeing

Morneau Shepell are a leading provider of International Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP). A Global EAP allows a business to provide a consistent level of mental health support to employees across multiple international locations. You can find out more about Global EAP’s here;

Find more information on the full range of International Employee Benefits here

Find more information on International Business Health Insurance here

The first global mental health pandemic data revealed – The Morneau Shepell’s Conference

We were delighted to attend leading International Employee Assistance Programme provider, Morneau Shepell’s, 10^th annual Employers Connect event this week. In the UK, Morneau Shepell also operate as ‘Lifeworks’ a UK brand which they requires a number of years ago.

This was their first virtual event, held across their key global locations, and they took the opportunity to provide some fascinating insight into research which they have been conducting over the last year, using their Mental Health Index – more on that further down.

The event was hosted by Stephen Liptrap, President & CEO and Paula Allen, Global Leader, Research and Total Wellbeing.

Stephen opened the event, commenting;

“We’re experiencing a global mental health pandemic. In less than one year, mental health has emerged as one of the top business issues around the world…. It’s an opportunity to act on what we have always knows to be true; happy, healthy and engaged people are the key to building a high performing workforce, and resilient organisations”

“Mental health issues have never been more acute, but we also have more data, a strong will to make a change, and clear evidence that what employers do makes a difference.”

Morneau Shepell launched their Mental Health Index (MHI) almost a year ago, in April 2020, which is updated monthly to provide a measure of the state of people’s mental health around the world (notably the US, Canada, UK and Australia). We were encouraged to think of the Index akin to the monthly CPI or RPI data we measure our economies on, but for mental health. Paula Allen, then took us through some of the key findings which we will summarise below and in the coming articles;

2020: a waterhead moment in mental health

The impact of the pandemic on the mind has been significant. Generally, stress inducing situations present you with a degree of control; moving house, having a baby, your job etc.. However, the pandemic delivers massive change with no control, impacts include;

• Loss of sense of control / security
• Uncertainty
• Increased isolation
• Heightened vigilance
• Increased care and concern for others

Typically, there is a predicable way that people respond to crisis

1. Shock, denial and confusion
2. Heroics – quick decision making, massive effort to react quickly – but this is not sustainable
3. Disillusionment, fatigue, burnout – generally this is where most of us are now
4. Short term adjustment – if we have the right support we have, or can, move here. However, this Is not guaranteed. If we do not act it can result in a longer term detriment.
5. Longer term adaption

Recovery from crisis is not guaranteed:

Risks include:

• Temporary coping strategies such as alcohol and food
• Peoples thinking styles can change – Catastrophizing, unrelenting anxiety
• Overwhelming anger, feelings of helplessness
• Lack of action or opportunity for mental recovery
• Delaying physical / mental health care
• Isolation and lack of social support

Morneau Shepell have seen trends in their data which show that people who have anger as their primary reaction, have been struggling more than most and they have been doing worse over time. People whose primary emotion is gratitude, focussing on what they have, what they can do, and recognition and appreciation of others, have experienced mental health which has been improved through this crisis.

What we do now is going to make a huge difference is how we move forward.

Mental Health Index (MHI)

The MHI has been three years in the planning. Benchmark data was collected between 2017 – 2019 with the Index launched in April 2020.

The Index offers a clear measure of mental health in the working population, over time. It polled a representative national sample in four key countries;

US: 5,000

Canada: 3,000

UK: 2,0000

Australia: 1,000

MHI data is collected and published monthly and is the source of the data in the insights which follow. We have broken down the findings into four articles;

Morneau Shepell; MHI – The Pandemic’s impact on mental health & productivity

Morneau Shepell; MHI – The importance of Financial Wellbeing

Morneau Shepell; MHI – The Pandemic’s impact on Managers

Morneau Shepell; MHI – Key findings and further information

Morneau Shepell are a leading provider of International Employee Assistance Programmes. These Global EAP’s allow businesses to provide a consistent level of mental health support to employees, across multiple international locations. You can find out more about Global EAP’s here;

Find more information on the full range of International Employee Benefits here

Find more information on International Business Health Insurance here