Two in five or 40 per cent of employees are struggling to form strong relationships with their colleagues, according to Canada Life.
A third, or 36 per cent, said they don’t have the same emotional relationships with coworkers as they did before the pandemic, even though 50 per cent of respondents, or 49 per cent, think visiting their colleagues helps their mental health. For those between the ages of 18 and 34, this percentage rises to 45 per cent, while it falls to 20 per cent for those over the age of 55.
The results also reveal how working from home during the pandemic has affected mental health.
One in six people, or 16 per cent, claim that working from home has worsened their mental health. This percentage rises to 19 per cent for those between the ages of 18 and 34 and to 12 per cent for those over the age of 55. Additionally, 28 per cent of respondents think that loneliness in the job is a problem.
Nearly 26 per cent of employees report their firm has not increased mental health support since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Canada Life protection sales director Dan Crook says: “For two years many of us were forced to work from home or unable to work at all and employers need to recognise the strains that this will have had, and continues to have on employee interactions and relationships. As employers look to bring their employees back to the workplace on a part or full-time basis, it’s vital they recognise the challenges that their employees might face in having to reconnect with their colleagues on a face-to-face basis.
“Employers need to lead and set by example, providing employees with flexibility as to how they can work so they can manage their relationships and personal wellbeing. By fostering a culture of flexibility into their workforce will, in turn, allow employers to attract new, and retain existing talent, and ultimately create a happy and healthy workplace.”