Mental Health Index: July highlights
The mental health and wellbeing of your workforce is critical when it comes to overall health – and productivity at work.
The Mental Health Index (MHI) surveys 16,000 workers from around the world. Published monthly, the index provides a measure of the current mental health status of employed adults. The increases and decreases in the MHI are intended to predict cost and productivity risks, and help governments and businesses understand how much they should be investing in supporting the mental health of their people.
Highlights: What do you need to know for July 2023?
- After no change for three months, the mental health of workers in Canada improved in July.
• At 65.2, the mental health of workers improved more than a half point from the prior month
• 31 per cent of workers have a high mental health risk, 45 per cent have a moderate mental health risk, and 25 per cent have a low mental health risk
• All mental health sub-scores have improved from June to July
• Mental health scores in Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, the Maritimes, and British Columbia have declined while scores in other provinces have improved compared to June 2023
• Managers continue to have a higher mental health score than non-managers and the national average
2. More than one in five workers are considering leaving their jobs.
• 35 per cent of managers have experienced increased turnover in the last year
• Workers under 40 are more likely than workers over 50 to be considering leaving or to have had a job change in the last year
• 20 per cent left or are considering leaving for a better career opportunity
• 12 per cent left or are considering leaving for better benefits
• Women are more likely than men to say that feeling underappreciated is the primary reason they left or are considering leaving their job
3. Nearly one-third of workers want better control over their health.
• 38 per cent want better control over their finances
• 31 per cent want better control over their health • 20 per cent want better control over their emotions
• The mental health score of workers who have full control over their work is 36 points higher than workers with no control and more than 15 points higher than the national average
• Workers under 40 are more likely than workers over 50 to report having no control over their emotions or their finances
• Women are more likely than men to report having no control over their work, their finances, or their health
4. Among workers who have taken medication for a mental health issue, nearly half had to try more than one medication or dosage to treat their condition.
• 23 per cent of workers have taken medication for their mental health
• 46 per cent said they had to try more than one medication
• 32 per cent say it took more than a year to arrive at an effective treatment
• 12 per cent are still trying to find the right medication or dosage to treat their condition
• The mental health score of workers who are still trying to find the right medication or dosage is 27 points lower than the national average and 22 points lower than workers whose first medication or dosage was effective
• Women and workers under 40 are more likely to have taken medication for a mental health issue
Click here to download the July report.
Click here to view the press release.
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