A new YouGov poll commissioned by Solent Mind and Push, the wellbeing and performance company, has found that a quarter (27%) of employees in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex and Dorset, say their mental wellbeing has got worse since the pandemic began.
The national poll found that two-thirds (73%) of those who had experienced worsened mental wellbeing since the COVID-19 pandemic, said the deterioration in their mental wellbeing could be attributed to work. Almost a third of these (31%) also said this was due to ‘change in the workplace’ and a just over a quarter (26.8%) said they didn’t ‘feel comfortable talking about their mental wellbeing in the workplace or to their boss’.
Looking at the regional breakdown, across Hampshire and neighbouring coastal counties, the percentage figures were the same and higher. 73% (14 out of 19) of those who had experienced worsened mental wellbeing, said the deterioration was due to work, and half (7 out of 14) of those polled said it was due to a ‘change in the workplace’.
With many employees feeling unsupported by their employers, Solent Mind has joined together with PUSH to offer national training to organisations via tailored workshops. Over the next twelve months, the partnership will be dedicated to supporting individuals, teams and organisations with a selection of co-created sessions.
The partnership launches on 20th October. It offers two separate sessions, one for employees, and one for employers,
The sessions will look at: dealing with change, how we react to it, how it can lead to mental wellbeing issues, and how teams can support one another.
Emma Fernandes, Business Development Director of Solent Mind, says: “As our new poll shows, this is a timely opportunity for the charity and Push M&B to ensure we can reach even more employees to help with their mental well-being. Covid has tested the mental health of our employees even further and we can’t side-step mental health issues.
“Solent Mind has a wealth of lived experience and knowledge, and the facts now reveal that effective training, stigma breaking, and educational resources for both employees and employers is needed now more than ever.”
