Employer-backed mental health initiatives may be starting to pay off for older workers according to the latest Mental Health Index: U.S. Worker Edition. In case of employees ages 40+, measures of mental health are now at pre-pandemic levels or better. Employees aged 40-59 are bouncing back after several months of declining mental health. Additionally, anxiety levels are down (47%) and are now lower than before COVID-19 for employees 60+. Depressive disorder is down (59%), stress is down (18%), and negativity is down (12%) since June. Depression has also significantly decreased (89%) in the last two months.
On the other hand, workers aged 20-39, that previously showed mental health improvements, are experiencing a decline in mental-hygiene. They have seen increases in stress (13%), anxiety (29%), conscious negativity bias (8%), and reduced planning capacity (-14%) since June. Additionally, the Mental Health Index also recorded another month of elevated PTSD risk in U.S. workers, up 32% since the start of February 2021 and 50% higher than pre-pandemic. Workers at risk of PTSD face multiple other mental health challenges.
The Mental Health Index is powered by Total Brain, in partnership with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, One Mind at Work, and the HR Policy Association and its American Health Policy Institute.
“Despite a downward trend in mental health among our nation’s youngest employees, we are heartened by the upward trend among employees ages 40+,” explained Louis Gagnon, CEO, Total Brain. “We have reason to be hopeful, but must remain cautious in our optimism. PTSD continues to be an unrelenting concern. And the uncertainty brought on by the continued surge in the delta variant and breakthrough COVID cases may have the power to reverse positive trends. Now is not the time to walk away from workplace mental health support, but to continue investing in employee mental wellbeing for all ages.”
Colleen McHugh, executive vice president of the American Health Policy Institute and strategic advisor for HR Policy, said “Large employers have worked tirelessly to support their employees with creative new initiatives and benefits in an effort to keep them healthy not only physically – but mentally – during this difficult pandemic era. While we are pleased to see data that show some of the positive results of this inventiveness, large employers understand that they must continue to strive for increased flexibility and creative solutions to keep employees safe, engaged and as healthy as possible.”
“Our organizational focus on mental health is paying dividends now as people are adjusting to a more normal and adaptably supportive environment,” said Michael Thompson, National Alliance president and CEO. “The key to sustaining this will be a universal commitment to COVID-19 vaccination as an uncontained delta variant may, in fact, be the biggest threat to our collective mental health and wellbeing.”
“We’re pleased by the promise shown through the improving mental health of employees 40+ and are hopeful that concerted efforts toward employer support and workplace mental health initiatives will continue to have a positive impact across generations, particularly as younger employees still face increasing stress,” said Daryl Tol, executive vice president, One Mind at Work.
The full Mental Health Index results can be found here.
