The Future of Work and Our Mental Health

Not Business as Usual –

Oct 10, 2020 – The workplace has forever changed. In March 2020, more than a third of the world population went into lockdown, and by the end of April 2020, 1.6 billion workers lived in danger of having their livelihoods destroyed.

A full return to “normal” is something that many have begun to realize is unlikely. Instead, we all must prepare for the “new normal.”

We have already seen an increase in remote work (with a peak of 62% of employed US adults working part or full time from the confines of their home), and a transition of (32%) of companies hiring contingent workers in place of full-time employees, as well as a shift in roles, responsibilities, and expectations alongside a steady incline in leveraging AI (Artificial Intelligence). New research is indicating that employees are putting in more hours than ever, experiencing burnout and exposure to added stressors such as finances or the inability to separate personal and professional commitments and roles. These shifts and changes are pushing employee well-being up the ladder of corporate priorities.

As a career coach, I became wildly curious to understand what all these changes mean for our future. When the dust settles, what will the workplace look like? I used my extra time at home to start researching and came across a brand new study by author and managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, Dan Schawbel, in partnership with Oracle … I was blown away by their findings. To start:

70% of people have had more stress and anxiety at work this year than any other previous year.
85% of people say their mental health issues at work negatively affect their home life
76% of people believe companies should be doing more to support the mental health of their workforce