IIf you’ve ever struggled with mental health issues, you’re well aware that mental health issues can make the simplest daily tasks seem insurmountable. Making a phone call or sending an email can drain what little energy you had to begin with. Even the most basic movements can feel overwhelming. All of these things combine to make the job very difficult indeed. It’s nearly impossible to project a veneer of efficiency and competence when everything feels like it’s falling apart in your head.
Younger employees are trying to combat this problem by scheduling “mental health” days at work, just as older colleagues may report feeling unwell with a migraine or an outbreak of the flu. A new survey by workplace benefits platform Unmind found that 49% of respondents have taken time off from work due to poor mental health. For workers aged 16 to 25, this proportion rose to 66%.
This rise can be interpreted in two very different ways. The first is a more optimistic view that this increase in mental health interruptions is actually a positive step. Dr Nick Taylor said: “This may be due to increased awareness and reduced stigma around mental health concerns.” please do not worryCEO and co-founder of But the second one is trickier. This increase is symptomatic of a completely broken working culture, where mental health is hailed as a ‘priority’ but is never actually addressed.
