The trials and tribulations of 2020 have certainly taken their toll. Simple pleasures such as going out for a meal or seeing friends have been taken away from us, as well as moments, for better or worse, which only happen once in our lifetimes: weddings; the birth of children; saying goodbye to loved ones.
Research conducted after the first lockdown found that 64% of people had recorded common signs of depression, while 57% suffered from anxiety. The mental health endemic, as Davos organisers referred to it in January, pre-pandemic, has accelerated rapidly over the last twelve months.
Mental health has been woefully low on the boardroom agenda for decades. But one thing we can take from this year is that, now, it is crystal clear that mental health must be a top priority for governments and businesses alike.
Why should business leaders care?
When provided with stats and figures on mental health, some business leaders will be asking themselves two questions. Firstly, what difference does this make to me? And, secondly, how exactly are we going to incite change?
The first question is easy to answer. Recent research by Beneden Health has found that as many as 17 million UK employees would seek a new job if their mental wellbeing was not being taken seriously by their employer. Already, 42% of UK businesses have seen employees quit due to a lack of support, with 25% of those losing a member of staff they considered really valuable. These stats suggest that the impact of mental health is twofold: not only will businesses lose existing talent, but they will struggle to attract fresh talent too.
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Further to this, research has shown that 28% of people have taken time off work this year due to poor mental health. This number could well be a lot higher next year, which could severely hamper productivity on top of its impact on people’s lives.
Perhaps the bigger of the two questions is how businesses can help. Firstly, they can shift to more outcome-based work models for their employees. Currently, a lot of ‘office’ jobs still have a rigid structure, whereby no matter how much work you have to do, you must work and be available for a certain number of hours in the day. This does not always reap the best results. Instead, by leaving people with very little free time, you increase the likelihood of burnout, one of the most common mental health challenges. By shifting the focus from hours to results, more flexible working hours and spaces can be introduced permanently. This will allow more time for social interaction and hobbies, leading to a happier, healthier employee base.
Looking to the leaders
Some companies may think that reducing the hours of their employees isn’t possible, especially since, in some cases, they’ve likely seen a rise in productivity since working from home. Yet, Microsoft proved this wrong just last year, when they introduced a four-day working week in Japan and saw productivity jump by more than 40%, as well as a major impact on employee happiness and wellbeing. Now, more companies willing to take the leap are stepping forward. In November, Unilever’s owner suggested that “the old ways of working are outdated.” Catalysed by a rise in remote working, Unilever is now trialling a four-day working week in New Zealand, without reducing pay.
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This flexibility will be crucial moving forwards. Some people have found comfort and struck a good balance working from home. In fact, one in three employees said working from home has improved their mental health. However, others have found it challenging, with almost half struggling to find time to go outside during the day. If we are going to continue working from home, employees need the flexibility to work in a way that is healthy and productive for them.
Businesses can also work together with other companies to look after the physical health of their employees and the general population, which can have a huge impact on mental health. In island nations and states such as Malta and Tasmania respectively, mental health support is now a community exercise and large corporates can learn from such initiatives.
One example, in Malta, is the #MaltaTogether campaign during the pandemic which used the power of influencers, sustainable brands and businesses and the media to foster a sense of community: Iniala, a luxury sustainable hotel in Valletta, have come together with other brands, the government, radio stations and Maltese sports personalities such as Xandru Grech to boost morale and keep people productive, purposeful and fit, both physically and mentally. Other corporates should see this as an opportunity not only to support their employees, but to make a meaningful connection with the wider world and, ultimately, potential customers.
In Tasmania, Jessica Robbins, a sustainability consultant, talks of how the pandemic has brought a sense of community and focus on ‘going local’. Their rapid response to the pandemic pivoted the island state to positive mental health, through innovation by increased community focus and a burgeoning culture of collaboration and connection, and increased demand for products and services including local produce and renewable energy. For them, the future is looking very bright.
VALLETTA, Oct. 17, 2020 -- Yachts compete during the 2020 Rolex Middle Sea Race at the Grand Harbor ... [+]
No time like the present
We are now approaching the end of a year where people have worked extremely hard to support struggling businesses and their own families. It’s now time for companies to show their employees the same level of support.
As employees return from the holiday season and prepare to take on 2021, now is the perfect opportunity for business leaders to plan new ways of working which support both the physical and mental health of their staff. As companies such as Microsoft and Unilever have proven, now is the time to trial initiatives such as flexible working and community support to find the perfect balance – and they’ll only help your share price skyrocket. Businesses that fail to take the initiative could lose both key employees and customers, losing them to competitors that do make the effort. 2021 needs to be a year full of possibility, for everyone.
