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“There were some increases during COVID around mental health and suicidality, and people are still struggling,” says Dr. Donna Ferguson, a clinical psychologist at CAMH. “Postpandemic, things have only gotten worse because of the longer-term impacts of social isolation and loneliness people experienced — especially young people — and our studies find similar challenges in the U.S. and the U.K., so it is a global crisis,” says Wysa’s chief psychologist Smriti Joshi. “People spend a significant amount of their life at the workplace supporting organizational goals, so it should be a matter of concern for them as well.
According to the study, 25 per cent of employees have witnessed a manager ignore or fail to respond appropriately to a colleague showing signs of distress and 43 per cent feel their employer doesn’t take proactive steps to address employee mental health needs. Dr. Ferguson explains that even in workplaces where mental health resources are provided, there are numerous reasons why employees struggle to access them, ranging from awareness and education to stigma and shame. That is why she advocates for a more proactive approach.