CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LifeWorks, a leading provider of digital and in-person total well-being solutions supported by TELUS Health, today released its monthly Mental Health Index™ that found 17 percent of Americans report a decline in trust between employers and employees since the start of the pandemic, compared to 12 percent who perceive improved trust. Those who report a decline have a mental health score more than seven points below the national average of 62.8.
The Index found that the mental health of U.S. workers remains significantly strained.
- The Mental Health Index™ score for September 2022 is 70.2 points out of 100, a modest improvement from August’s score of 69.4, but still below the September 2021 score of 71.0.
Workplace culture has the largest impact
- Among those who report lower trust, 38 percent of workers blame a change in workplace culture. For the past six months, both factors have represented the lowest sub-scores of the seven-factor Mental Health Index, with 22 percent of Americans who feel alone having a mental health score nearly 25 points below the national average.
- One in four (25 percent) fault a change in how employers handle employee well-being.
- Twenty-two percent say that perceived changes in employee commitment led to decreased trust.
- Conversely, the 12 percent of people that say trust has improved give credit to positive changes in communication, culture, and the employer’s support for employee health and well-being.
Trust and connectivity affect workers
- American workers who say there has been no change in trust with their employer have the most favorable mental health score (72.1).
- The mental health of those with a positive view of how the return to work/reopening is being handled was 75.1, nearly five points higher than the national average.
- Managers are twice as likely as non-managers to report improved trust between employees and their employers.
Comments from TELUS Health Chief Operating Officer, Michael Dingle
“All successful relationships are built on trust – something employers can foster for better employee health and work productivity. Trust is particularly important when navigating cultural change, such as new hybrid work environments. When employers manage these changes to positively affect employee commitment and effort while on the job, trust is strengthened. Enhancing mental health supports not only demonstrates commitment to employee wellness but also acts as an inflection point for employees who are looking for an indication of a company's culture into the future.”
Comments from LifeWorks global leader and Senior Vice President, research and total well-being, Paula Allen
“The data is clear. Workers who report trust in their employer have higher mental health scores and higher productivity. It is difficult to trust anyone or any entity that does not care about your well-being. Demonstrating support for employee well-being could not be more important than it is now, given the tenuous nature of relationships at the moment.”
The full United States LifeWorks Mental Health Index™ report can be found here. This month, the report includes additional insights on work preferences, preference between salary increases and better well-being support, frequency of working while unwell and more.
LifeWorks is a wholly owned subsidiary of TELUS now operating as part of TELUS Health as a result of its recent acquisition.
About the Mental Health Index™
The monthly survey by LifeWorks was conducted through an online survey from 5,000 respondents in the United States. All respondents reside in the United States and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional, age and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The Mental Health Index™ is published monthly, beginning April 2020. Benchmark data was collected in 2017, 2018, 2019.
The Mental Health Index™, is based on a response scoring system that then turns individual responses into point values. Higher point values are associated with better mental health and less mental health risk. Scores between 0 to 49 correspond with distress levels, scores between 50 to 79 correspond with strain levels and scores between 80 to 100 correspond with optimal levels of mental health.
About TELUS Health
TELUS Health is a global healthcare company serving people in more than 160 countries delivering both digital innovation and clinical services to improve total physical, mental and financial health and wellness across the full spectrum of primary and preventative care. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services both in-person and virtually, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers and people globally, progressing its vision of transforming healthcare and empowering people to live healthier lives.
Our clinical team is composed of renowned and passionate health professionals around the world delivering best-in-class people-centric care to hundreds of thousands of employers, professionals and their families.
For more information, please visit: www.telushealth.com.
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