The mental health of Canadian workers is failing despite waning pandemic protocols. New findings revealed that general psychological health is currently at its lowest point in the last 22 months, as January’s Mental Health Index from LifeWorks shows.
“This measure reflects the view of people’s self-perception of psychological health,” says Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice president, research and total wellbeing at LifeWorks. “The decline is very concerning because it indicates that more people are seeing themselves in poor psychological health generally, as opposed to feeling anxious or down because of the situation. This is likely because of the length of time that we have been under strain.”
Overall, the current mental health score for January 2022 is -11.3, a level not seen in eight months and nearly on par with the lowest scores during the pandemic. All sub-scores declined, too, including work productivity, depression and isolation. The sharpest drops since December 2021 were reported in Alberta, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Gender gaps
Women continue to display significantly lower mental health scores than men (13.0 compared to -9.5), and since April 2020, they report larger increases in mental stress, as well. In tandem with these findings is that nearly two years into the pandemic people with at least one child are still scoring lower than those without kids (-13.4 compared to -10.3).
“Women in many households have more of the child care responsibilities, and we have also seen that having a child during this period is associated with lower mental health scores given the practical and emotional responsibilities,” says Allen. “Women are also likely to have lower income, which increases life vulnerability.”
Flexible work more important than career progression
The survey also shows that flexible work factors heavily into mental health, with 55 per cent of respondents stating it’s more important than career progression. When asked about the mental health support employers provide, 33 per cent said that flexibility is the most essential action their employer has taken on the matter.
More companies are doing so. As Allen says, workforce values have dramatically changed over time. “People are more interested in work that integrates with life and supports their wellbeing. Leaders need to realize this shift and take action to embed wellbeing supports and flexibility into work. The importance to the workforce and their engagement and retention is clear.”
Retention indicators
Feeling valued is a priority, and empathy is paramount to supporting mental health, as other groups of respondents indicated last month. Nearly half stay with their employers because they like the work they do, while 34 per cent stay because of the benefits offered for their health and wellbeing. A similar amount stay because they’re being well-paid.
Workplace relationships also play a key role in feeling good at work. Those at the office with a sense of belonging have higher mental health, work productivity, isolation, and financial risk scores than national averages. But nearly one-in-five Canadians working at the job site say their biggest challenge is dealing with difficult people.
Working from home is still carrying risks of isolation as 18 per cent of home-working Canadians feel lonely, while 13 per cent say they’ve been forgotten most of the time. A nearly equal proportion of Canadians believe that career opportunities would be limited (36 per cent) as those who disagree (38 per cent) about the career impact of working from home.
Mental health by industry
Mental health scores in January were highest among professional, scientific and technical services, the management of companies and enterprises, and the mining, oil and gas extraction sectors, compared to December 2021.
Full-time post-secondary students reported the lowest mental health score (-16.9), a number which has improved by nine points since December. Individuals employed in accommodation and food services follow with a low score of (-16.6). This cohort is also experiencing the most mental stress compared to the last MHI.
“The recent stress in this sector has been tremendous,” says Allen. “They have had to manage changes/closures in operations due to Omicron and dealing with a public on edge: cynical and angry given the prolonged emotional exhaustion of the pandemic.”
On the other hand, mental stress hasn’t increased as much for individuals employed in construction (54.0), real estate, rental and leasing (54.6). As Allen notes, “the height of volatility in that sector has settled.”
“This could easily change with a significant increase or decrease in activity and even more so if there are more significant shifts,” she says. “Other sectors are dealing with return to the workplace issues, increased customer service conflicts, etc.”
The full Mental Health Index by LifeWorks can be found here.
