Workplace wellbeing culture impacting Americans’ mental health; women at highest risk

LifeWorks Mental Health Index™ indicates that nearly half of Americans want employers to implement mandatory vaccines in reopening policies

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LifeWorks, a leading provider of digital total wellbeing solutions, today released its monthly Mental Health Index™, revealing a negative mental-health score among Americans for the 16^th consecutive month.

Key findings:

• Overall mental-health score of -3.8 compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark, reaching its highest point since the launch of the index in April 2020.
• Managers were 35 percent more likely than non-managers to request mandatory vaccinations upon the return-to-workplace.
• Eleven percent of respondents feel that the culture of their organization does not support their personal wellbeing. This group has a mental-health score of -13.4.
• Twenty percent of respondents are unsure of their company’s culture of support. This group has a mental-health score of -10.4.
• Sixty-nine percent of respondents feel that the culture of their organization supports their personal wellbeing. This group has a mental-health score of -0.7.

Women are impacted at a disproportionate rate:

• Women were 35 percent more likely than men to report that their organization’s culture does not support their personal wellbeing.
• Thirty-six percent of women indicated that they would prefer to work from home full-time to prioritize personal wellbeing, compared to 35 percent of men.
• Seven percent of respondents want work from home to avoid tension or conflict with managers or co-workers or to avoid in-person interaction with customers.
• Women were 50 percent more likely than men to want to work from home to avoid tension or conflict with co-workers.

Comments from president and chief executive officer, Stephen Liptrap

“Today, employee wellbeing goes beyond the workplace to holistically encompass personal, emotional and social elements. While employers have gained unique visibility into employees’ personal lives and priorities over the last 16 months, many employees continue to experience increased mental strain in both professional and personal environments. As employer support becomes increasingly important, it is critical for organizations to offer personal support and empathy to employees that extends beyond workplace walls.”

Mixed views on vaccination policies, slightly favoring employer-mandated vaccine policies:

• Forty-four percent of respondents want mandated vaccination policies implemented by their employer. This group’s mental-health score is -4.1.
• Forty percent of respondents do not want employer-mandated vaccination policies. This group’s mental-health score is -3.2.
• Sixteen percent of respondents are uncertain about employer-mandated vaccination policies. This group’s mental-health score is -4.6.

Comments from global leader and senior vice president, research and total wellbeing, Paula Allen

“Despite many workplaces preparing to return to in-person operations, many employees across the country are stressed about their safety at the office. Organizations now have a critical responsibility to evaluate their reopening approach and communicate safety guidelines to employees effectively and thoroughly, understanding that employees’ physical and mental health are closely connected and need to be prioritized equally.”

The full American LifeWorks Mental Health Index™ report can be found here. This month, the report includes additional insights on the impact of remote work on mental strain, reasons for missed time from work due to illness, employees’ ideal work situations and more.

About the Mental Health Index™

The monthly survey by LifeWorks was conducted through an online survey from June 30 to July 12, 2021, with 5,000 respondents in the United States. All respondents reside in the United States and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The Mental Health Index™ is published monthly, beginning April 2020, and compares against benchmark data collected in 2017, 2018, 2019.

About LifeWorks

LifeWorks is a world leader in providing digital and in-person solutions that support the total wellbeing of individuals. We deliver a personalized continuum of care that helps our clients improve the lives of their people and by doing so, improve their business.

ID-CORP, ID-MH, ID-US