We are facing a workplace mental health crisis, with burnout, exhaustion and hopelessness more common among workers than ever before, argues the Society for Human Resource Management.
A new survey conducted by SHRM found that 94% of human resources professionals believe that by offering mental health resources, organizations can improve the overall health of employees.
About one in five (21%) of respondents working for organizations that don’t offer mental health benefits say their organizations don’t have the resources to address mental health, while another 21% of them believe it’s too expensive to enact.
Other key findings reported include 86% of the HR professionals surveyed stating that by offering mental health resources employers can increase employee retention, and 72% also believe that such resources help attract new talent.
HR professionals in the healthcare sector (61%) were most likely to indicate that their staff experience more mental health struggles than other industries, in large part because of Coronavius pandemic-induced stress at work.
Other industries, such as the nonprofit sector (47%); government/public administration/military (41%); and education (39%) claim their employees are more likely to experience mental health issues than other industries.
The survey also found that a focus on mental health is good for business. Nearly 9 in 10 of the HR professionals polled — 88% — believe offering mental health resources can increase productivity, while 78% say offering such resources can boost organizational return on investment.
“It is clear that the need to establish mental health as a top priority within our organizations is essential,” said SHRM Foundation President Wendi Safstrom. “We must act now if we wish to create a world of work that allows both employers and employees to thrive and lead healthy, productive organizations.”
