While 73% of benefits leaders believe their companies have increased mental health support, only half of managers and supervisors agree, a new survey shows. About 40% of employees don’t believe or are unsure if their company promotes a mentally healthy workplace.
The State of Workforce Mental Health 2023, published Tuesday, was conducted by Lyra Health, a provider of workplace mental health benefits. The company received responses from more than 2,500 employees and 250 employee benefit leaders.
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“Our survey data suggests there is a disconnect between employees and employers in terms of perceptions of support … The most successful organizations in 2023 will be those that take the time to better understand their people’s mental health and related work experience needs, and offer the resources necessary to address them,” said Dr. Joe Grasso, senior director of workforce transformation at Lyra Health.
While it’s been proven that employees are struggling, managers and supervisors are feeling the burden too, Lyra found. About two-thirds of managers said their role has become more important and more difficult than before the pandemic, yet just 53% said they have the resources and training they need to create a supportive work environment. About 58% of employees said their manager would benefit from receiving training for workforce mental health.
“We’ve always known that managers shoulder the responsibility of motivating teams, hitting goals, and nurturing culture, but now more than ever, we’re seeing them play a significant role in supporting employees’ mental health,” Grasso said.
Managers’ lack of resources is having an effect on their own mental health: 64% said their mental health has had an impact on their ability to work, compared to 57% of non-managers. Because of this, one in three managers is considering leaving their jobs in the next year, compared to one in five non-managers.
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Almost 90% of employees said they’ve experienced at least one mental health concern in the last year, with nearly 50% discussing the problem at work. In most cases, this required talking about these problems with their manager, showing the need for managerial mental health support. Still, only 33% of employees said they received help for their mental health at the time.
There are ways employers can adjust based on these findings, Grasso said.
“Actions to protect manager and supervisor mental health should be driven at the organizational level, and in partnership between executives, HR, and managers,” he stated. “Employers need to recognize the mental health needs of the individual and as well as the work-related psychosocial risks to teams, in order to understand how to best support them. Thoughtful work design through things like improved role clarity, greater job control, and more recognition and appreciation for team members can support a culture of mental well-being, and also help ensure healthier, more engaged, and more productive teams.”
Grasso added that there are ways managers can “protect themselves and their employees” while the company makes changes on a larger scale. This includes promoting mental health literacy and asking HR leaders for resources.
“We want to encourage managers to take a pulse on how employees are feeling as they reduce the stigma around mental health, increase opportunities for a better work/life balance, and have managers feel empowered with resources and training that teach how to mitigate psychosocial risks through healthy work design, as well as promote psychological safety and emotionally intelligent management,” he said.
Photo: Wacharaphong, Getty Images
