Around one in four or 23 per cent of employees with long Covid have experienced a decline in their mental health, according to new Canada Life research.
This comes as 21 per cent of workers, or more than 5 per cent, report that they currently have or have had extended Covid.
The study emphasises the worries that people with chronic Covid face at work with around 19 per cent of respondents claiming their employer doesn’t understand the health effects of long-term Covid, 15 per cent say their coworkers don’t either, and 15 per cent are or were reluctant to tell their employer about long-term Covid for fear of losing their job.
Employee performance has also been impacted by long Covid. A fifth or 19 per cent have had to cut back on their work hours, and a similar number, 18 per cent, feel Covid has negatively impacted their ability to do their jobs. Almost 5 per cent of people who have experienced long-term Covid have been forced to abandon their jobs.
Covid patients are concerned about how their continued symptoms would affect their quality of life. Nearly 20 per cent of respondents are concerned about how it may affect their long-term life goals and 18 per cent report that Covid has already had a negative influence on their connections with family and friends.
Canada Life head of claims, group insurance Ian Ranger says: “Employers have a duty of care to their employees and must consider the potential risks of long Covid, such as the impact on mental health and wellbeing, and plan how they will support any employees that are suffering. For instance, we are finding that individuals may be suffering from a wide range of symptoms and as the length of absence from the workplace increases so do the challenges of reintegration. The nature of an individual’s symptoms often means that these returns need to be protracted and therefore we are working in lockstep with employers to guide them along this journey.
“Simple steps such as considering flexible working arrangements as well as reviewing health and wellbeing benefits will enable those with long Covid to manage their symptoms and recover quicker, while also lessening the impact on the business. In addition, employers should think about training their staff to ensure they understand the impact of long Covid and make them aware of any employee benefits, policies and support in place that could help those suffering from long Covid.”