Whether furloughed or working from home, employees’ mental health has come under significant pressure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Providing support both now and going forward will be key to safeguarding these individuals’ wellbeing.
The extent of the nation’s mental health crisis is yet to be fully understood but it could potentially be more far-reaching than the coronavirus. “Most people haven’t had Covid-19 but many more have had mental health problems as a result of it,” says Medical Solutions chief medical officer Dr Chris Morris. “We can’t brush it under the carpet.”
Pandemic pressures
Our ability to cope with pressure coupled with the different situations people find themselves in means a variety of mental health issues are manifesting themselves. “We’ve seen an increase in stress, anxiety and depression, especially among people who already had a propensity to these issues,” says Bupa Health Clinics lead physician Dr Naveen Puri. “People are having to deal with so much uncertainty: much more than if they were going through a stressful situation such as divorce or bereavement where the process is much more certain.”
On top of the uncertainty, employees are finding themselves having to deal with more pressure at home. For some, lockdown has exacerbated loneliness, cutting them off from the social interaction afforded by work. Others have faced the other extreme, juggling childcare and eldercare with work responsibilities.
Work stress
Work itself has added to the stresses. While some enjoyed the flexibility and shorter ‘commute’, many have seen workloads increase. “Many people are working longer hours dealing with additional pressure from constant emails and Zoom meetings,” says Aon Employee Benefits health management consultant Camilla Lewis. “On top of that, they’re also worrying about whether they might even have a job at the end of all this.”
And, whether working or furloughed, these uncertainties mean more people are experiencing financial stress. “People are worrying about financial commitments,” says Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing director of corporate consulting Cheryl Brennan. “They might have a reduced income or be worried about their job. What’s more, where a company’s announced redundancies, there’s much less hope around getting another job in lockdown. It’s very tough.”
Time to listen
Although stress levels are rising, many providers are reporting a fall in calls to employee assistance programmes (EAPs). This may be due to employees focusing on immediate issues but Health Shield director of wellbeing Carl Laidler believes a different dynamic is at play. “I think we’ve seen employers stepping into this role,” he says. “They’re talking to colleagues they might never have spoken to before and really listening to them when they ask them how they are. Concerns about employees’ mental health are making them much better at listening and I do hope this is a trend that will continue.”
Line managers have a particularly important role to play according to Lewis. “They’re in the best position to understand the situations their team members are in and give them the support they need,” she says. “They can see the issues, whether it’s childcare, musculoskeletal problems from sitting at the kitchen table or financial pressures, and signpost the employee to appropriate support.”
Perhaps because of this, while EAP call volumes have fallen, there’s been an uptick in health- related helpline usage. Dr Puri says there was a 300 per cent increase in calls to Bupa’s Anytime Healthline in the middle of March, compared with the first two months of the year. Dr Morris has also seen a similar rise in demand for digital health services, with call volumes remaining higher than normal. “Employees – and GPs – have got used to virtual consultations,” he adds. “The culture has changed as everyone feels more comfortable accessing virtual services rather than sitting in a waiting room.”
Virtual reality
This shift has also been recognised by the health insurance and group risk providers with many offering access to wellbeing apps, sometimes rolling them out to all staff and not just those covered by their policy. Towergate Health & Protection head of group risk David Williams says: “The providers have really beefed up their apps, adding in practical services such as virtual GPs and prescriptions as well as softer support such as mindfulness training, nutrition and fitness. They were seen as a bit of a gimmick in the past but they’re really popular among employees now as they can help to create a sense of normality.”
Resilience services have also shifted into the virtual space, with mental health first aid training, mindfulness sessions and even occupational health workspace assessments available online.
With so much available online, Brennan says employers don’t have to spend a fortune to look after employees’ mental health and wellbeing. “There is so much
content: look at what you have and communicate it well. Rather than talk about products, talk about the tools that are available to support them in different situations. It could be a virtual GP service or a discount scheme but make sure you tell them about it.”
Back to normal
When lockdown measures are eased and employees start returning to their workplaces, a new wave of mental health issues are likely to emerge. As well as germ anxiety, there may be more instances of alcohol and substance dependency to tackle. Dr Morris adds: “Many people have been traumatised by the virus, whether contracting it themselves, seeing loved ones hospitalised or simply being cut off from their families. This could manifest itself through more cases of post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Whether struggling with a major or minor problem, providing support at this point will be critical. Williams believes that lockdown represents the calm before the storm, with many people in the bubble. “Times will get tough and a lot of jobs will go,” he adds. “I expect we’ll see an increase in EAP activity and mental health support will really take off.”
While support will be essential as everyone returns to work, the more optimistic in the employee benefits arena are hopeful that the experiences people have gained living through the pandemic will lead to improvements in workplace culture. Laidler is hopeful that the ability to talk to colleagues about their mental health will become embedded. “I’d love to see people caring for each other more rather than simply pointing them towards the EAP,” he adds.
Brennan also sees it as an opportunity. “There are lots of positive learnings from lockdown, especially around work-life balance and mental health” she says. “Businesses have an opportunity to do the right thing and make these positives part of their culture. They should be thinking about moving forward now and how it will enable them to put themselves ahead of their competitors.”
