Anxiety and depression rampant in the workplace

Increased work stress and the rising cost-of-living crisis are severely affecting the mental health of workers across all industries.

A recent report by Amwell found that 67 per cent of Australian workers experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Respondents said increased work stress and the rising cost of living were contributing to their poor mental health.

Difficulty finding support was pinpointed as an issue by the respondents, as 68 per cent stated that they have a lack of access to mental health support systems. Furthermore, 45 per cent of respondents who could access in-person care said they encountered wait times of up to one month.

Employers must set a new precedent when it comes to supporting their employees through mental health struggles. Clinical psychologist and head of clinical transformation at Amwell, Dr Carolyn Lorian, said prioritising access to digital health platforms in the workplace is a good way for employers to support their teams and the health of their businesses.

“We’re moving toward employee mental health being the number one priority for organisations. Our research shows that business leaders across Australia are seeing higher turnover rates and increased absenteeism directly related to the mental wellbeing of their employees,” Lorian said.

“By providing an online therapy platform, employers can help their workers gain instant access to the mental health support they need. Digital mental health offerings are increasingly important as wait times and costs make in-person therapy inaccessible for many Australians,” she said.

Not only is the wellbeing of employees at stake, but overall business outcomes are detrimentally affected if mental health issues are disregarded in the workplace. Missed work days, lack of productivity, compensation costs, poor performance, and employee satisfaction all collectively affect those business outcomes.

These issues, along with staff turnover, could all be avoided if mental health support was offered. In fact, 70 per cent of respondents said they’d be more likely to stay with the business if that support was there. For employers and mental health care providers, digital interventions can help reduce those costs associated with poor mental health in the workplace.

Honeysuckle Health’s chief growth officer, Cass Frei, believes that digital interventions can offer workers the chance to work on their mental health at a time that works for them.

“The [data] shows that this approach benefits patients immensely, giving them the power to work on their mental health when it’s most convenient. Support is available when users wish to find a quiet time to engage in their mental health and wellbeing. Some logins will be more than 30 minutes and others might only take five minutes. It’s about users finding a time that works for them,” said Frei.

If employers can get behind offering alternative mental health support rather than the confined, traditional measures, then they could see the improvement in the overall wellbeing of their staff, while also getting back desired business outcomes.