CoursesWorkforce Training
Menu
    All Courses
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Workforce Training
  • Top Courses
  • Become a Partner
  • Affiliates
  • Education Providers
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Blog

Published 18 Jan 2021

Covid & Mental Health at Work Survey 2021

by Charlotte Grainger

Browse courses

According to fresh research we’ve conducted as part of our insights into workforce training, 66% of employees think that moving forward, more time and resources will be dedicated to mental health in the workplace due to Covid. This data comes from an anonymous survey of UK employees from 300 companies carried out since the New Year, which sought to identify attitudes towards mental wellbeing and how they have been shaped throughout the pandemic in advance of Time to Talk Day on February 4th.

Key findings



  • 66% of workers agree that mental health will benefit from greater time and resources in the long term after Covid
  • However, 40% of workplaces are yet to implement any new mental health policies in response to the pandemic
  • 10% of respondents stated that if they had a mental health concern, then they would not speak to anyone about it
  • Of the other 90%, 63% would prefer to talk things through with a friend or family member before doing so with someone at work

Do you think that Covid will lead to a long-term increased focus on mental health in the workplace?



Yes - It is something I think will see more time and resources dedicated towards
66%

No - There will not be a greater focus on workplace mental health than before Covid
34%

Data gathered from 300 organisations on 11/1/21.

These findings come at a time when the mental health of the nation is being tested like never before. For those working from home, semi-frequent video calls are hardly a substitute for normal social interaction. To be without the day to day camaraderie that comes with office life isn’t easy and even those who tend to prefer to be left to their own devices at work are feeling the strain.

If you had a mental health concern today, who would be the first person that you would speak to about it?



Encouraging employees to speak up about their mental health concerns has long been something that many organisations have struggled with. Previous research has found that 45% of workers with mental health problems had not told their employer about it and often cited fears of shame and discrimination as their reasons for not doing so.


Family or friends
63%

My Line Manager
12%

An external mental health professional
11%

Nobody
10%

A member of an in house HR team
4%

Data gathered from 300 organisations on 11/1/21.

From those surveyed who replied that they would not discuss their mental health concerns with anyone, 13% of men agreed with this statement as opposed to just 8% of women. 70% of women stated that they would first turn to friends or family, and whilst most men agreed, it was only 54% who did so. 18% of men also expressed a preference for talking things through with their line manager, more so than the 8% of women who did so.

Which of the following mental health policies has your workplace implemented in response to Covid?




Although as mentioned, 40% of workforces are yet to implement new mental health policies to counteract Covid, steps have been taken elsewhere as the following chart shows. This could be down to multiple reasons but organisations should never operate under the assumption that all is well just because nobody is voicing any concerns. 

As Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing for the charity Mind points out, “you don’t need to have a mental health problem in order to feel the benefits (of preparing for it in advance). It just means that you already have practical steps in place to ensure you are supported when you aren’t feeling great.”


My workplace has not implemented any new mental health policies in response to Covid
40%

Training our in house HR team to talk through issues with employees who have concerns
19%

Paying for staff to speak with an external mental health professional/service
18%

Increased the quantity/length of one to one discussions between regular staff and management during which any mental health concerns can be raised
13%

Increased time off for employees with mental health concerns
10%

Data gathered from 300 organisations on 11/1/21.

Of those who opted to bring in new policies to address Covid related mental health issues, the most popular approaches were to assign responsibility for such matters to either an in house or external specialist, with 18% and 19% of respondents opting for these respective approaches. There was less enthusiasm for increasing time off for employees with mental health concerns (10% of respondents) and placing a greater emphasis on existing staff/management discussions (13%).

The costs of not investing in your employees mental health



Speaking about the findings from their survey, CoursesOnline’s General Manager Sarah-Jane McQueen drew attention to the duty employers have to invest in their people.

“Rather than continue as though the current situation is just a drop in the ocean, the ongoing crisis should be the catalyst for everyone to reassess their approach to workforce mental health. 

For the 40% of organisations not looking to do more in regards to mental health, there is a strong business case for them rethinking their approach – not to mention that there is a clear expectation from the majority of workers that some form of action is taken. Regardless of where or how you operate, mental health issues account for a significant proportion of days off, so I would think that firms would be keen to gain back some of this productivity if nothing else.”

What can you do to combat mental health issues in the workplace?



Ultimately, there are many different options through which organisations can look to address mental health issues and everyone will have their own preference. At the Learning People for instance, they have experimented numerous initiatives which others may look to adopt such as:


  • Creating an employee wellbeing group with a wellbeing rep nominated from each team to be the wellbeing spokesperson
  • All members of the employee wellbeing group are Mental Health Awareness trained by ‘Mind’ to ensure they know how to spot the signs of poor mental health and provide support where necessary
  • Participation in Time to Talk Day – providing conversation starter cards and cakes to all employees to raise awareness of the importance of talking to others
  • Regular calls with HR for all employees who are working from home and more frequent calls with those who require additional mental health support
  • Discounted gym and fitness schemes due to the link between good physical and mental health

Browse courses

Enjoy this article?

Subscribe now to receive articles like these straight to your inbox
Charlotte Grainger

Charlotte is a freelance journalist and content writer living in Sheffield. She holds a BA in Journalism and an MA in Creative Writing. When she’s not working, you can find her at the gym or hanging out with her cat, Harry.

Navigator Illustration

Why, hello there!

Our Navigator has just finished compiling a personalised list of courses you’ll love.

Show me my courses!
Share

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get expert advice, insights, and explainers on tricky topics — designed to help you navigate your learning journey with confidence.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Popular Subjects
  • Qualification Levels
  • How to Become
  • Accounting
  • Administration
  • Bookkeeping
  • Computer
  • Counselling
  • Event Management
  • Hair and Beauty
  • Human Resources
  • IT
  • IT Support
  • Nail Technician
  • Networking
  • Payroll
  • Psychology
  • Software Testing
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Web Development
  • Xero
  • View More
  • Access to Higher Education
  • Advanced Certificate
  • Advanced Diploma
  • Bachelors
  • CertHE
  • Certificate
  • Diploma
  • ELCAS
  • Foundation
  • HNC
  • HND
  • Level 1
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
  • Level 4
  • Level 5
  • Level 6
  • Level 7
  • Level 8
  • LLM
  • Masters
  • MBA
  • MSC
  • MCSA
  • MCSD
  • MCSE
  • NVQ
  • Postgraduate
  • Short Courses
  • Undergraduate
  • View More
  • Begin a Career in IT
  • Bookkeeper
  • Career in Trading
  • Change Management Consultant
  • Cloud Architect
  • Construction Health Safety Officer
  • Cryptocurrency Expert
  • Forensic Scientist
  • Financial Modeller
  • Java Certified
  • Leadership Coach
  • Manager
  • Mentor
  • Microsoft Certified
  • Psychologist
  • Public Health Consultant
  • Software Developer
  • Software Tester
  • Start Your Careeer in Human Resources
  • Xero Certified
  • View More
Copyright © 2022 Coursesonline.co.uk Contact About Privacy Terms Become a Partner Affiliates Blog Sitemap
VAT No: 301 5420 62 Company No: 11182409

Coursesonline.co.uk uses cookies. By continuing you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more.

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Additional Cookies

This website uses additional cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

More information about our Cookie Policy