After a three-month upswing, Canadian workers’ mental health is dipping once again, LifeWorks reports in the latest edition of its Mental Health Index.

From June to August 2021, the Mental Health Index (MHI) increased and even reached its highest level since April 2020, albeit still in negative territory (-9.7).

In September, the MHI was -10.3 compared with the pre-pandemic baseline score. All of the MHI sub-scores, except for isolation and financial risk, declined since the previous month.

Driven out by stress  

Among the respondents who left their jobs during the pandemic, 18 per cent said they did so because of increased stress at work.

In the same group of respondents, 16 per cent left their jobs to assume caregiving responsibilities. This group has the worst mental health score (-28.4) of the entire September Index.

More than one third (35 per cent) of respondents are thinking about leaving their jobs or are unsure. Their mental health scores are 10 points lower than those who are not considering stepping down.

In the same monthly survey conducted in August 2021, LifeWorks found that the pandemic had affected Canadian employees’ sense of belonging to their employer.

Participants more vulnerable  

Participants without emergency savings obtain a lower mental health score (-23.8) than the overall group (-10.3). The gap is even wider with workers who do have savings (-5.7).

Parents and managers are more likely to leave a job they like in return for a salary increase.

More than one in five respondents would leave a job where they are happy to get a pay raise of 10 per cent or less. This group has among the lowest mental health scores.

Psychological health and work climate  

LifeWorks also assesses participants’ perception of their overall level of psychological health. In September, this score was -3.3 compared with the pre-2020 benchmark, but improved from the low of -4.0 in January 2021.

When asked what changes they would like to see at work, nearly one in three (32 per cent) mention flexibility in working hours. Another 29 per cent wanted flexibility in their work location. One in six (17 per cent) said they wanted more or better support for their personal well-being.

Participants who describe themselves as self-employed or sole proprietors have the highest mental health score (-6.3). Respondents who work for companies with 51-100 employees have the lowest mental health score (-13.8).

The weight of uncertainty  

According to LifeWorks President and CEO Stephen Liptrap, “Ongoing workplace changes and uncertainty for the future continue to increase the mental strain that employees are experiencing. “

“Building a supportive culture that speaks about and provides resources for mental health needs is a great first step. Employers must recognize that employees are considering resigning from their jobs if they don’t get support,” he adds.

Paula Allen, Global Leader and Senior Vice president of research and total wellbeing at LifeWorks, notes that “To foster a healthy workplace, it is not only critical that employers look beyond policy to consider their employees’ unique wants and needs, but that they also provide ongoing opportunities for workers to share their thoughts and feelings in an unbiased, safe environment.”

Methodology  

The September report is based on data collected in an online survey of 3,000 Canadians who are employed or have been employed in the previous six months, between September 2 and 10, 2021. The same participants complete the survey each month.

The Index has been published monthly since April 2020, and benchmark data were collected between 2017 and 2019. To demonstrate variation, the current month’s scores are compared with the benchmark score and with those of the prior month.

LifeWorks also publishes a quarterly version of its Financial Wellbeing Index, the most recent edition of which showed the impact of the pandemic on employees.