Help

BI’s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips.

To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “workers compensation”. This will limit your search to that combination of words.

To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “hurricane” & “loss”.

Login Register Subscribe

Workers report mental health resiliency since pandemic

Reprints
medical

Employees may have suffered from mental health issues over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have remained largely resilient, according to a national survey of workers conducted by Travelers Cos. Inc.

In the Harford, Connecticut-based insurer’s mental wellness survey, more than 2,000 workers in 10 industries were polled on their mental health over the course of the past year. Most of the workers said the pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health, with nearly 60% reporting their fear of losing a loved one, half suffering from loneliness and 37% stating that their personal stress level had worsened.

However, most also said their mental state was improving, and 73% reported that their mental health was good or excellent, up from 67% early in the pandemic.

The survey revealed that positivity and coping mechanisms were contributing to improved outlooks and that 84% of the employed adults named a “silver lining” that came out of the pandemic, including:

  • Having a job (41%).
  • Saving money (34%).
  • Working remotely (29%).
  • Ability to multitask between personal and professional responsibilities (24%).
  • Picking up a new hobby (20%).
  • Not commuting (19%).
  • Connecting with others virtually (15%).

The majority of respondents reported that exercise and spending time with family were the top ways they managed stress and loneliness over the past year, followed by social media, spending time with pets and reaching out to friends or co-workers.

The survey also found a correlation between employer-provided mental health resources and workers’ mental health, with 30% of workers reporting that their employer provided ample mental health resources, and a third stating that their loyalty to their employer had increased during the pandemic. However, 42% said their employer did not provide enough mental health support and that their ability to manage stress decreased, and 29% said their loyalty to their employer had decreased.

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.