More than one third of working Americans concerned about a co-worker’s mental health
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CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morneau Shepell, a leading provider of total wellbeing, mental health and digital mental health services, today released its monthly Mental Health Index™ report, revealing a consistently negative mental health score among Americans for the ninth consecutive month. The findings show that worsening anxiety, work productivity and depression continue to impact the mental wellbeing of Americans.

The Mental Health Index™ score is -7.9, declining from November (-7.3). The score measures the improvement or decline in mental health from the pre-2020 benchmark of 75. The Mental Health Index™ also tracks sub-scores against the benchmark, measuring financial risk (5.1), psychological health (1.2), optimism (-7.7), isolation (-9.0), depression (-9.7), work productivity (-9.9) and anxiety (-10.2). Despite the 0.4-point decline observed in December from the previous month, the financial risk score remains the strongest of all sub-scores and is currently above the pre-2020 benchmark. Compared to April 2020, there is a 1.2-point decline in work productivity and a 1.1-point decline in isolation.

"With vaccine roll outs now underway in some parts of the country and a glimmer of hope on the horizon, we are at a pivotal point in navigating the pandemic," said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer. "Balancing these signs of encouragement with the need to remain vigilant is paramount as we move forward, both in Americans' personal and professional lives. Information overload and ongoing uncertainties continue to negatively impact Americans' mental health and it is critical that employers continue to acknowledge and prioritize this reality with resources and support as we enter this next phase of the pandemic."

Many Americans concerned about the impact of the pandemic on co-workers

As the pandemic persists into its ninth month, Americans are seeing its impact on others, including their co-workers. Overall, 35 percent of respondents report being concerned about a co-worker's mental health. Faced with the additional strain of managing a prolonged turbulent period in their workplace, 39 percent of supervisors indicate concern about the mental health of employees and 21 percent report that their employees are less productive than in 2019. This suggests that the American workforce may be at risk of detrimental long-term mental health effects.

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Additionally, due to ongoing non-essential travel restrictions increasingly blurring the lines between work and home life, nearly half (48 percent) of respondents report not using all their vacation time in 2020, compared to 34 percent using all their vacation time. This is a significant factor in terms of employee mental health, as individuals without paid time off have the lowest mental health score (-8.8) when compared to those who are using all their vacation time (-7.5) and those who are not using all their vacation time (-7.5).

"We are seeing a trend of fatigue among working Americans that has a direct correlation to declining mental health and wellbeing," said Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice president, research and total wellbeing. "It is imperative for employers to understand that even if workloads have not increased, the emotional strain of the pandemic, compounded by prolonged personal stressors, is weighing heavily on employees. Continuing to provide resources and encouraging employees to take breaks throughout the workday, is critical to avoiding employee burnout and ensuring business continuity during these challenging times."

Brand loyalty dependent on treatment of stakeholders and response to social justice issues

The pandemic has upended organizations across the country, and the treatment of employees and customers along with an organization's response to social justice issues have been essential to brand loyalty. The perception of how an organization has treated its employees during the pandemic could have both immediate and long-lasting impacts on its success, as 54 percent of respondents report that the way they think about and interact with brands and companies has been influenced by how their employees have been treated during the pandemic. Customer treatment also plays a significant role, as 60 percent of respondents also indicate that how an organization has treated its customers during the pandemic has influenced the way they think about and interact with brands and companies.

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The way organizations have responded to social justice issues has also had a similar impact on consumer perception, with 42 percent of respondents reporting that the way they think about and interact with brands and companies has been influenced by their response to social justice issues. This is especially true for individuals under the age of 40 (54 percent), when compared to those 40 and older (35 percent), corresponding with the influx of anti-Black racism awareness following the high-profile death of Black American, George Floyd, in June 2020.

Upcoming event: Members of the media who are interested in attending Employers Connect, Morneau Shepell's annual mental health summit that will be held virtually on Thursday, February 11 at 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET, should RSVP to media@morneaushepell.com.

About the Mental Health Index™

The monthly Mental Health Index™ by Morneau Shepell was conducted through an online survey from November 20 to November 30, 2020, with 5,000 respondents in the United States. All respondents reside in the United States and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The Mental Health Index™ is published monthly, beginning April 2020, and compares against benchmark data collected in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The full U.S. report can be found at https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/93201/mental-health-index-report-united-states-december-2020.pdf.

About Morneau Shepell

Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.
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