New Reports Indicate Lingering Worker Mental Health Issues 

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – The results of a recent study of more than 23,000 workers suggests that workers who commute for more than an hour are 16 percent more likely to report depression symptoms than those workers with commutes shorter than 30 minutes. Additionally, among females, long commutes were most strongly associated with depression symptoms for those workers with children, as well as low-income and shift workers. 

Long commute or not, the number of workers reporting mental health issues is at an all-time high. A recent report on health and wellness trends from Workplace Options found that the top four global workplace symptoms reported include workplace stress at 71 percent, anxiety or panic at 27 percent, low mood at 13 percent, and difficulty concentrating at 12 percent. 

The top cause of workplace angst reported by workers is problems with daily work activities at 33 percent. Twenty-six percent reported work-life balances caused their mental health woes, and 18 percent cited tension or conflict with a manager. Job performance issues were reported by 18 percent. 

Even though the pandemic is over, according to the report only about a third of employees are actually thriving in their wellbeing. Most are worried about finances and job security. Many are also sick but worry that seeking treatment or help will affect their job. 

Caught between a rock and hard place, around 91 percent of workers care about their wellbeing but 83 percent report facing significant challenges in pursing their wellbeing. Most reported challenges that included personal finances, work-life balance, and nutrition and physical fitness. 

Reports from the Mental Health Commission of Canada indicate that 70 percent of employees are concerned about their mental health, with work being the number one source of stress. Heavy workloads, work-life imbalance, and a lack of focus on mental health in the workplace are top contributors to more than a quarter of workers reporting some form of mental health illness within the last year. Additionally, more than a third of all short- and long-term disability claims in Canada are attributed to mental illness.

In a report earlier this month from Mental Health America, attitudes in the workplace can have a significant impact on mental health. Workers who feel valued by leadership and management are more strongly correlated with better mental health outcomes, compared to feeling valued by co-workers or peers. Workers with supportive managers report higher rates of psychological safety. Of those workers with supportive managers, 84 percent reported feeling mentally and emotionally safe on the job. 

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