Outside the Box: Coronavirus is stressing 7 of 10 U.S. workers to the max, and companies need to help them now

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With the world’s highest number of COVID-19 diagnoses, unemployment reaching record levels, and an overburdened healthcare system, the U.S has been hit incredibly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. It’s no surprise that the coronavirus crisis has become a mental health crisis, too. 

As people around the world struggle on an individual level with the impact of COVID-19, the collective level of stress, anxiety and uncertainty that we’re feeling is translating into the workplace. We know from our research at Ginger that U.S. workers were feeling stressed before the pandemic, with close to 60% of people sharing that stress had brought them to tears at work, up from 48% in 2019. 

Now, stress levels at work are through the roof. We surveyed U.S. workers during the first week of April, and found that nearly 70% of workers claimed that this is the most stressful time of their entire professional careers, even when compared to major events like the September 11 terror attacks, the 2008 Great Recession and others. 

Unsurprisingly, COVID-19-related stress is having an impact on productivity. 62% of workers we surveyed reported losing at least one hour a day in productivity due to COVID-19 related stress, with 32% losing more than two hours per day. For the average U.S. worker, at least two hours of lost productivity a day totals to at least $12,000 in lost productivity per person over the course of a year. The impact of this crisis will undoubtedly persist long after the pandemic slows.

93% of workers believe that the companies which will survive COVID-19 will be those that support employee mental health.

With employee productivity down and financial uncertainty growing, employers are in a challenging position. Companies of all sizes have been forced to confront how they are going to keep their businesses viable, while supporting the health and safety of their employees during this stressful time. But companies can do more: 63% of workers say their company isn’t doing enough to support their emotional and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic; 93% of workers believe that the companies which will survive COVID-19 will be those that support employee mental health. Business continuity planning that puts people first has never been more critical.

Read: Anxiety, depression, OCD—how to cope with mental health issues, and symptoms to watch for 

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To succeed in supporting their employees, companies can no longer rely only on traditional solutions such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), which provide access to a limited number of in-network providers and often present long wait times to get care. The U.S. mental healthcare system has gone from overburdened to broken, making it tremendously challenging to access high-quality care — even before COVID-19. Now, most people are unable to consult a mental healthcare provider face-to-face. 

The good news is that the tools and resources exist for companies to revolutionize the way they support the mental health of employees through COVID-19 and beyond. This starts with buy-in from the top. No longer should mental health live exclusively within the HR department. All leaders must lean in to support the physical and mental health needs of their employees.

This also means looking to virtual care and more convenient, accessible ways for employees to seek support. We’ve seen this with primary care, and mental health is no different. Technology and virtual delivery systems are playing a pivotal role in removing the access, stigma, and convenience barriers associated with getting mental health support. And employees are embracing it: our research showed that 38% of employees have tried a technology-based mental health service. Of this group, 64% had used it for the first time within the last month. Like many telehealth companies, our data shows there’s increased demand. At Ginger, we are seeing a significant uptick in the use of our services, with a 50% increase in the number of active members during February and March as compared to the previous six months. 

Ultimately, companies must make mental health support a critical aspect of their business continuity plan, or risk a dramatic impact on employee health and productivity. Accessible and equitable benefits are a must-have in the post-COVID-19 world, and mental health must rise to the top of the agenda of every executive, leader and board member. The good news is that the digital health industry has solutions at the ready, and employees are ready for them.

Russell Glass is CEO of Ginger, an on-demand mental health company.

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