Wellbeing crisis | UK employees say their work is suffering due to poor mental health

Nearly half of the UK workforce (45%) say their work is suffering as a result of poor mental health, according to a new study.

The data from ADP Research Institute’s People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View found that this figure rises to five in ten (53%) of the 18–24-year-old cohort and 52% of 25-34-year-olds, compared to two in ten (26%) of the 55+ age, the survey of almost 1,400 workers in the UK found.

The findings come as studies have indicated that, in addition to the anxiety induced by health fears and the uncertainty and disruption caused by lockdowns, Covid-19 infection itself can increase the risk of mental health problems developing, and mental health services have been interrupted in many countries. According to the charity Mind, a third of adults and young people say their mental health has gotten much worse since March 2020.

In addition, the frequent stress that many workers around the world were already feeling appears to have been exacerbated since the pandemic. With 14% of the UK workers saying they experience stress at work at least once a week, and 19% feel stressed every day.