Mental health challenges often go unnoticed in tech culture. But it's critical to address employee mental health before these issues affect your organization.
More than 90% of workers in the tech sector report having been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, according to the OSMI Survey on Mental Health in Tech . Almost 64.7% of respondents said their productivity was affected by a mental health issue.
Technological culture has long faced criticism for placing a burden on the mental health of its workers. Burnout is all too common in the industry, and the pandemic has only exacerbated issues like isolation and a lack of work-life balance .
Can culture change and better support the people who shape and comprise it?
The problem
The world of technology is known for attracting some of the best and brightest. Many talented individuals migrate to the Big Five – Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft – or startups, where they can play a key role in bringing innovative ideas to fruition.
Many of these companies encourage their employees to work long hours with perks like catered meals and on-site gyms. But the other side of this are the demands they place on workers, in a tiring and rigorous environment that stresses individuals and pushes them to their limits. Despite promises of flexible hours and, in some cases, unlimited PTO, employees are rarely able to take advantage of time off given the pressure and competitive nature of the industry.
All of this, along with often rigid structures and other problems, can affect people. And their mental health suffers as a result. Anxiety, burnout, depression and isolation – all with physical health issues like lack of sleep – are not uncommon in technology. Unfortunately, there is also a stigma associated with mental health issues.
“Mental health has been one of the least discussed topics in the corporate world,” says Naveen Bhateja, Chief People Officer at Medidata Solutions. “The technology industry adds another layer of complexity when factoring into the mental health discussion. The technology industry promotes a “crisis” culture, where demanding work must be completed in a short space of time. The industry is known for high stress: late nights, unusual hours and tight deadlines, all while being constantly on call at any time of the day.”
Of course, the pandemic has added another layer to existing challenges. A report from AppDynamics found that 8 in 10 technologists said their jobs became even “more complex” in 2020 as the pandemic took hold, with 89% saying they felt enormous pressure at work.
The solution
1. Normalize conversations about mental health
Awareness is the first and most critical part. In the technology sector, we often don't have important conversations about mental health. The same OSMI survey found that less than a third of employees said they would feel comfortable discussing mental health issues with their direct manager. This is problematic – these conversations should not only be acceptable, but encouraged.
By creating a safe space to discuss mental health issues, organizations can ensure their employees feel comfortable and heard.
2. Establish comprehensive wellness benefits
Mental health initiatives should be central to any organization’s strategy. Wellbeing benefits are a concrete way for a company to support mental health. But remember, it’s not enough to offer generous vacation time – you must also encourage your employees to actually use it. Additionally, ensure employees have access to services like therapy, free or at a reduced cost.
Another important measure that many organizations across industries have had success with is the establishment of employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs are groups of employees who share common interests, demographics, or other common ground, where they can create communities and discuss challenges, as well as implement meaningful changes.
3. Train leaders and managers to recognize the signs of mental health problems
It is important for leaders to recognize the signs of mental health problems before they escalate. Otherwise, your employees could succumb to burnout – or worse.
Technology organizations must train their managers and lower-level employees to understand mental health challenges, enlisting the help of professionals. They must be well equipped with the resources to identify and offer resources to their employees and colleagues.
4. Ask employees what they need
Data is the foundation of any mental health strategy – every company and STEM professional knows this. How do you collect this data? Go straight to the source. In this case, that means your own employees.
Ask your employees what they need support for. Maybe you could distribute an anonymous survey, for example. This can also be used to assess your workers’ top mental health priorities and concerns. This will go a long way towards promoting a culture of belonging and awareness. Mentally healthy workers mean a healthy organization.
Why should we work to address mental health in tech culture?
The most obvious reason we should address mental health challenges in tech culture is human empathy itself – we want workers to be safe, happy and fulfilled. This is intrinsic to our success as an industry.
But there are motivations beyond that, which benefit your company. When you have workers who don't feel supported and are facing challenges such as anxiety, depression and burnout, you will inevitably face a myriad of problems with organization – presenteeism, absenteeism and burnout, for example.
Investing in mental health, on the other hand, leads to better results for organizations, including stronger retention rates. Mental health-focused training and awareness programs generate ROIs of 6:1 and 5.3:1, respectively, according to Deloitte's 2022 Mental Health and Employers: The Investment Case – Pandemic and Beyond Report .
Clearly, there are strong arguments for better supporting employees and their mental health. This isn't just intuition – the data supports the argument. During a period of high turnover, when many talented individuals are looking for employers who look out for their interests, you cannot afford to fall short of their expectations.
Source: BairesDev
