- 81% of Irish professionals have at some point experienced poor mental health at work
- 69% of Irish employers currently offer wellbeing benefits to their staff
- 58% of Irish professionals state that employer provided mental health support feels like a ‘box-ticking exercise’
- However, 80% haven’t accessed their employer provided mental health support
- One third of C-Suite professionals consider employee wellbeing programmes the most important wellbeing benefit when considering a job offer
81% of professionals state they’ve experienced mental ill health at work in the past 12 months – with a quarter encountering it ‘regularly’.
Despite this, over three-fifths of Irish companies now offer employee wellbeing programmes.
A survey by Robert Walters recently revealed that despite employers’ best efforts to enhance wellbeing offerings like employee wellbeing programmes e.g. mental health support (71%), Cycle-to-work schemes (65%), Healthcare vouchers (48%) and free or discounted gym membership (43%) – they still may not be effectively addressing the current crisis.
A recent study from St Patrick’s Mental Health Service found 37% of respondents cite ‘work-related issues’ as a key contributing factor to mental health issues.
Suzanne Feeney, Country Manager of Robert Walters Ireland, stated: “While it’s encouraging to see that many employers have been ramping up their wellbeing benefits – our research shows that the interventions currently on offer are falling short in meaningfully supporting professional’s wellbeing.”
Are wellbeing benefits a box-ticking exercise?
Less than a fifth of professionals claim to have accessed the mental health support provided by their employer in the past 8 months.
When asked why they hadn’t, 58% stated that these types of benefits feel more like a ‘box-ticking exercise’ rather than provide any meaningful support – with a further 29% stating the services they’ve been offered need to be improved.
: “Employee wellbeing programs usually involve things like mental health / mindful apps, physical health checks and supplements – whilst these interventions can be useful, they put a plaster on the real cause of mental ill health – which can be something as simple as increased stress or professionals feeling overworked.”
Demand for wellbeing interventions
According to further figures from Robert Walters Benefits Guide, 31% of all Irish professionals considered employee wellbeing programmes the most important wellbeing & lifestyle benefit when they’re considering a job offer.
This increases to 35% of C-suite & tech professionals and over two-fifths (42%) of those in HR.
A quarter of Tax professionals deemed healthcare vouchers like eye tests and flu jabs more important when considering a job offer, whilst 42% of non-managerial staff selected free or discount gym memberships.
“All professionals are coming forward to demand that their employers do more to support their wellbeing at work – this isn’t an issue that’s limited to a specific industry or job-level. But the jury is out on whether the steps employers are then taking to heed their demands are having the desired effect.”
Employer efforts must be recentered
A worrying 65% of Irish professionals don’t think their employer is doing enough to meaningfully promote employee wellbeing – whilst over two-fifths of senior leaders feel their increased spending on wellbeing benefits is going by largely unnoticed.
Suzanne concludes: “There is no overnight solution for improving employee mental health. But employers must be dedicated to the creating a culture of open discussion and empathy in their workplace. This means adopting strategies such as mindful work practices e.g. respecting workhours and holidays, encouraging regular breaks and offering regular check-ins for employees.
“Those businesses who dedicate themselves to going the extra mile in supporting their staff’s mental health and wellbeing now, will reap the rewards of increased employee loyalty for years to come.”