What’s the news?

Mental health is a rising threat to retention, engagement and productivity.

More employees than ever are looking for support from their organisations to help with mental health concerns. And yet, now that the pandemic is subsiding, many businesses are rolling back the employee wellbeing initiatives that they put in place during lockdown.

That’s set to have a serious impact on employee mental health and, ultimately, staff productivity, retention and motivation.

Who’s behind it?

Headspace. Every year the mental wellbeing and meditation app releases its Employee Mental Health Trends report, sharing data and trends impacting wellness at work.

Give me figures…

More employees are using mental health benefits than ever before.

The number of organisations providing mental health programming, services or benefits has dropped 14% since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Flexible hours, generous annual leave and the ability to keep working from home are all still vital initiatives for employee wellness.

What should I take away from this?

As the pandemic subsides it’s vital that businesses do not roll back the progress they’ve made in employee wellbeing and mental health.

These initiatives aren’t just about “being nice”. What’s good for employees is almost always good for businesses. Mental health support in the workplace has been proven to reduce stress, increase focus, improve productivity and build a resilient workforce that is better equipped to take on new challenges.

Where do I go next?

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Check out this blog post by Wildfire’s Zoe McFarland on how to manage stress in the workplace.

Do you want to improve your organisation’s mental health initiatives? At Wildfire we’ve worked with the amazing Sanctus to look after our employee’s mental wellbeing. Check out their website here.

Or, to download the full Headspace report, visit Headspace: Employee Mental Health Trends 2021.