It’s been a rough couple of years for people’s health, in particular their mental health and wellbeing – myself included. We’ve all experienced a major global pandemic, intense isolation from friends and family, loss (both of life, human rights, freedoms) and what feels like relentless change (re-evaluation of the role of work in our lives, geopolitical conflict, societal unrest). The list goes on.
It doesn’t paint a very uplifting picture, does it?
So, when it came to looking at the results of the 2022 annual Opinium survey on mental health in the PR and communications industry (something that we at Edelman, the PRCA and CIPR have supported for five years running) – my expectations were very low.
Which is why, I was encouraged to see that – in the face of all that upheaval – for those surveyed, the average wellbeing score went up slightly to 45.5 (versus 45.1 last year). While this positive change might seem negligible, when it comes to mental health across our industry, I don’t think it’s fair to expect massive leaps over just 12 months. And an improvement to me, albeit small, actually shows a whole lot of mental resilience from individuals and teams who only “emerged” from the confines of the pandemic around summertime.
Even more promisingly, 58% of respondents said overwhelming workload was a key source of their workplace stress, down nearly ten percent (from 67%) last year. And almost two thirds (63%) say that working from home has improved their mental health. More PR professionals say that they feel more relaxed working from home this year (73% vs. 55% in 2021) and that they have a better work life balance a result (76% v. 55%).
Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer Special Report Trust in the Workplace also shows that the workplace is now among the most important sources of community for many – with 69% of employees who believe the people they work with are a significant source of community in their life. So there is a clear need for employers to step up into this responsibility.
But we should be aware of clear inequalities in how this is being experienced, from an equity and inclusion perspective, as we reframe our views of the future of work. Research commissioned by People Like Us found that Black, Asian and ethnic minority workers are nearly twice as likely as white professionals to be using their bedroom as a home office, without a proper desk. They also found most ethnic minority professionals (58%) are working in a home that they share with two or more people. And since four in ten (44%) professionals from racially diverse backgrounds fear they’ve missed out on a promotion due to the pandemic – shaping a future of work that works for the health and wellbeing of all, not just some, is key.
All of this to say, it does appear that a hybrid model and complementary policies and strategies communications and business leaders are putting in place for their teams are nudging the needle in the right direction.
The 2022 Opinium survey also shows:
· 91% of those in PR have experienced poor mental health at some point in the past year, compared to 90% in 2021 – with a quarter (25%) who are currently diagnosed with a mental health condition (measured for the first time this year)
· Three in ten (30%) have found their job stressful, slightly up from 26% last year
· 51% have told someone at work that they have struggled with their mental wellbeing (but this also means nearly half haven’t felt that they could)
· Having too much work to do remains the biggest barrier for taking time off to deal with mental health. Half (50%) of those who experienced poor mental health cited this as a reason for not taking time off.
What’s clear is there is still much more work to be done – and we can and should aim to do better.
The FT recently reported that there is a deepening ‘mental health recession’ across the UK with Employee Assistance Programmes being overwhelmed with calls like never before. And while it’s positive that many people feel more comfortable discussing their mental wellbeing and asking for help, it’s clear support services (both in and out of the workplace) aren’t able to keep pace with demand.
For leaders in a workplace context, doing better for the future means supporting hybrid, flexible working that works for both teams and individuals and looking for ways to reduce workload, alongside organisational policies and driving awareness and uptake of mental health support programmes. We also need to invest in supporting line managers and ensure clear understanding of what support they can and should offer or signpost to – and what they shouldn’t. Remember they aren’t trained mental health professionals. For example, at Edelman, we have Mental Health First-Aiders at every level of the organisation but they have a clear remit and complete training with Mental Health First-Aid England and periodically throughout the year.
More broadly, we know employees managing teams are being asked to do more and more but often without the right training or infrastructure to be successful. And data shows for the most part people leave bad managers not companies. When it comes to mental health and wellbeing – we can’t afford to get it wrong.
I like to think I’m quite a positive, resilient person. And that I support my teams with their own positive work-life sway. But in early 2021 going into another round of bleak lockdowns in London – I admit, I floundered. It’s the closest I’ve come in my working life to burning out – and burning out badly. I described the feeling to my best friend as feeling like I “lost my sparkle” but in reality, this meant I was struggling to find inspiration and motivation at work, an issue I’d never had before. I’ll admit – it was scary and unsettling.
What I eventually realised is that my usual ways of coping (exercise, healthy eating, mindfulness etc) were no longer cutting it. It took me several months – and some open and honest conversations with my leaders and managers about what specifically at work was impacting me, to get my ‘sparkle’ back. And it was their immediate and positive response – and action – to me surfacing my concerns, that made the difference. Because I’m normally quite an autonomous person, they had no idea how (and how much) I was being affected, until I spoke up.
In an industry like ours – our people are the lifeblood of our organisation. Without healthy, happy and mentally well people – our businesses will flounder. That’s why I’ll keep advocating around mental health and wellbeing as a key business priority for PRs (and people) everywhere.