CMI survey shows mental health impact of pandemic on North West workforce

Managers in the North West of England are the most satisfied with employer mental health support, according to new research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

The CMI survey of 1,274 managers across England and Scotland looked into the impact of mental health in the pandemic and employer mental health support. The research found that the North West ranked highest overall in terms of the impact of the pandemic on workers mental health; however, employer support for mental health in the workplace was also the highest.

The survey results laid bare the impact that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was having on the mental health of the UK’s workforce.

In the region, 42% of managers reported their mental health got worse during the pandemic, with 57% reporting the same for their staff.

While the report found that satisfaction with how employers were supporting their staff’s mental health with 87% in the North West saying that sufficient support was on offer, across the UK at least 1 in 5 managers reported being apprehensive of using services offered by their employers, such as Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP).

Commenting on the regional statistics of CMI’s research, Niamh Mulholland, Executive Director of External Affairs said: 

Coming back to the workplace is going to be stressful for a lot of people, who may worry about if it’s safe for them to return, what will the office be like and the commute amongst other things. As a result, people may need extra support from their employer and although employers are doing well overall, they may need to look at the support they currently have, in case there’s anything additional that their teams may need.

“In Stress Awareness Month, we are partnering with Kooth to ensure that these needs are highlighted and that all managers know that CMI can support them if they are worried or don’t feel able to access their Employee Assistance Programme.