Voices from the frontline: how has our mental health in the workplace been affected by Covid-19?

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected our mental health in the workplace? Following its initial employer survey, the Midlands Engine funded Midlands Health Productivity Pilot (MHPP) has conducted follow-on research to get further views from employers as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

The research was based on in-depth interviews with business managers from the region to explore the ways in which they and their organisations experienced mental health issues during the lockdown period. They spoke to participants before and after lockdown.

Four key themes emerged from the managers’ narratives.

• The crisis has meant significant changes to the ways that many people experience the workplace and this has led to a number of new triggers for mental health issues.
• Mental health issues during and post-lockdown affected some groups of employees more, or in different ways, than others. Often, those affected were different from those who had experienced mental health issues pre-Covid.
• While stigma is known to discourage people from disclosing mental health issues, employees may be even less likely to admit to mental health issues during and following the crisis and lockdown than before.
• Increased remote working may make it more difficult to identify the changes in behaviour that can signal that someone is struggling with mental health issues.

Taking account of these insights is important to allow employers, policymakers and mental health practitioners to be aware of potential issues, and to design appropriate interventions.

Find out more about the MHPP