Hi There
I'm chairing a session at the ASFA spotlight on Insurance conference next week. In order to prep, I've been reading up on employee mental health. Frankly the situation is pretty dreadful and going backwards.
Nearly 40%* of Gen Y and Gen Z are experiencing symptoms of burnout. And the rates of TPD among people aged 30-40 increased 730%** between 2013 and 2023.
Sooo, what's the answer? And what part can employers play? Lots! It seems lots of managers still don't know what to do if an employee is struggling, with 51%*** of managers saying they need training.
And then there's the basic awareness issue, that employees don't know what resources (EAP etc) are available, and if they do know, they are nervous to use them in case their private information is shared with their boss.
I used to think that the RUOK day was a bit ridiculous, but after what I've learnt in the past few days, I would encourage everyone to check in with at least one person at work and just ask how they are going. Simply doing that can make a significant difference.
Anyway, that's my big wakeup call for this week. I'm going to write a LinkedIn article or two on this in the next few weeks, so I'll let you know when that happens.
Cheers
Sarah
*Research by SuperFriend
**KPMG/Council of Australian Life Insurers research
***Metlife research