Maybe the issue is too few days off – only 1 in 8 would be honest about needing a mental health day, as over a third of employees experience significant mental ill health
The news is out that sickness days have risen to the highest level in 10 years. But maybe too few days off is the issue.
New figures from leading mental health app Wysa show that the UK mental health crisis is worse than estimated in working people. Over 1 in 3 (35%) working people suffer moderate to severe depression or severe anxiety – three times higher than the estimated UK adult prevalence. Official figures point to 1 in 6 of us struggling with mental health, up from 1 in 10 prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
And UK employees aren’t speaking up, with half not speaking to healthcare professionals, and only 1 in 10 (13%) comfortable enough to admit needing some time off for mental ill health to their employers.
According to the latest research from Wysa, 11.3 million adults should be getting some kind of therapy or support for moderate to severe anxiety or depression. The latest Health & Safety Executive report points to 914,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2021/22 – but this research suggests a much greater issue.
The rate of moderate to severe anxiety or depression is higher amongst younger people – nearly half (44%) under 24 are demonstrating symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety, compared to 27% over 54. The same pattern is seen when it comes to depression. Twice as many under 24s show scores suggesting moderate to severe depression as those over 55 (46% vs 21%). Overwork, the challenges of the economy, and difficulties affording rent or houses are all taking a toll on the next generation.
These findings correlate with the recent Institute of Fiscal Studies report that stated the number of working age new disability benefit claimants has doubled in the past year. Around a third of new claims were for mental health conditions. Among claimants under 25 that figure rose to 70%.
Despite a growth in wellbeing programmes and many organisations speaking about mental health at work, people fear speaking up. When facing a period of mental ill health and feeling unable to work a quarter of employees (24%) have taken time off as sick, using physical illness as the reason, and one in five (22%) taken time off as holiday time using paid time off. Half (48%) have gone to work regardless and only 14% been honest and taken time off as sick, using stress or mental health as the reason. One in five (18%) aged 25-34 have been honest, compared to one in ten (9%) aged 55-64.
Of all employees, if mental state was impacting their ability to work, men are more likely to take paid time off (25%) than women (17%) although women are slightly more likely to go to work anyway (54% vs 47%).
And this worse for those with high levels of anxiety or depression. An astonishing 62% of those with moderate to severe anxiety have taken time off but lied about the reason, and 66% for those with depression.
Worryingly, half (52%) of people who screened as suffering symptoms of moderate to severe depression or anxiety, at levels requiring further investigation and treatment, have not spoken to a healthcare professional. The primary reason is that they don’t think their symptoms are serious enough. Women, in particular, play down their symptoms. Almost half (48%) of women who experience symptoms of moderate to severe depression or anxiety have not spoken to a professional because they don’t think it’s serious enough, versus men 1 in 3 (33%) who think the same. Or they worry a health professional won’t think it’s serious enough – 21% said this was a worry.
Stigma prevails in men, and we see a clear gender divide. 1 in 3 men (31%) who need help have not sought it because they report being too embarrassed, compared to a quarter of females (25%).
But there could be a solution out there, and an appetite for a digital option. Over four in five (83 %) would prefer to talk to a mental health app, with clinically proven self-help resources tailored to their needs, rather than their HR, and half (53 %) would choose an app over a therapist. Wysa offers continuous conversational care, supporting the entire mental health care pathway, and is availablet to individuals, through employee assistance programmes, and via the NHS in some regions.
Currently the burden falls on the NHS to solve the mental health crisis. But we can see that employees are struggling more than the average population. We owe it to our workforce to find a different solution to addressing mental health problems. Where the 11 million workers who need some kind of support for anxiety and depression have access to it, through a tool or system that works for them. A digital front door to support, services and therapy, that removes the barriers to mental health support altogether.”
The fact that some people would rather speak to an app than HR demonstrates the need for a supportive and structured approach to mental health in the workplace. We know employers and businesses are talking about mental health, but people still aren’t feeling comfortable enough voicing their needs. It’s time we really do make mental health on par with physical health in our workplace.”
