Impact of the Pandemic on Employee Mental Health

This summarizes SHRM research conducted in April 2021 of 1,099 US workers, 89% of whom were employees and 11% were self-employed. The bottom line is that the pandemic has put unprecedented stress on the mental health of workers. Here are some key findings from this random sampling about the past year that relate to symptoms of depression:

• 67% have felt tired or having little energy, often (35%) or sometimes (32%)
• 54% have felt down, depressed, or hopeless, often (23%) or sometimes (31%)
• 51% have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things, often (22%) or sometimes (29%)
• 47% have had trouble concentrating on things, often (22%) or sometimes (25%)
• 44% have felt bad about themselves (like a failure or have let themselves or their family down), often (23%) or sometimes (21%)

Other findings reveal who was affected the most:

• 54% or more were women
• 65% lived with a vulnerable person (healthcare/essential workers, those over 65, immunocompromised person)
• 52% to 77% were younger (generation Z or Millennials)

Here's how these workers dealt with their mental health issues:

• 42% reached out to family or friends
• 37% didn't do anything about them
• 11% reached out to colleagues
• 7% reached out to a mental health professional

COVID-19 has threatened certain aspects of employee work to a "great" or "very great" extent:

• 31% personal opportunities affected
• 28% pay and benefits affected
• 25% rarely get enough sleep to feel rested
• 24% job security affected
• 22% safe working conditions affected

Some other interesting statistics:

• 63% agree that their supervisors have adapted and adjusted well to the changes COVID-19 has brought
• 58% often worry more about their family and friends getting COVID-19 than they do themselves (34%)
• 40% are not satisfied with the amount of work-life balance they've experienced during the pandemic

Source: summary from WCI, based on SHRM's full report.