The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

SIGNAL 3. Increasing awareness of the fragility of mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the number of risks to a significantly higher level. Social anxieties and mental health issues have also been on the radar since the beginning of the pandemic. On 13 May 16 .The Changing Nature of Work 2020, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on governments to urgently address the mental health dimension of this pandemic. The number of publications calling for more attention to the issue is rising as fragile mental health has long-lasting negative effects.

In April 2020, a survey was conducted in the United Kingdom to understand the population’s concerns about mental health; it showed that 21 percent were concerned about isolation and about mental issues during the pandemic. It is also important to note the gender differences highlighted by the survey: a higher percentage of women were concerned about mental illness during the pandemic than men. In its recent COVID-19 Risks Outlook report, the WEF provides another set of sobering figures: “Early lockdown studies found that up to 45 percent of adults felt adverse effects on mental health, up to 37 percent showed signs of psychological distress and up to 70 percent felt this period was the most stressful of their careers.” A study in Ukraine finds higher levels of all emotional distress among women than among men (e.g. depression, anxiety, sleep disorders). In the early months of the pandemic (during March–April 2020), women considerably reduced their level of anxiety – they adapted better and got used to the changes. However, among men, there were increases in depression and sleep disorders. Interestingly, recent online surveys in Ukraine showed that there was a drop in levels of stress: in May 2020, 48 percent of respondents said that COVID-19 was one of the causes of stress, and in July, only 22 percent. But the anxiety due to the worsening of the financial situation increased significantly: from 44 percent in April 2020 to 58 percent in September 2020.

While some groups might face mental health risks due to the disruption of how they work, others are put at higher risk of being infected and of suffering greater economic consequences. Both of these groups may suffer from increased stress and anxiety, which might lead to a much greater need for psychological support, and it may take a long time to return to normal. As in other areas, the digital transformation of mental health services can help address this issue with a range of technological tools such as telehealth. However, countries should be mindful of the risk of widening digital gaps: while some groups will enjoy the benefits of telehealth, others are at risk of missing out due to limited access to digital technologies.

As we all adapt to the new normal, employees and employers need to consider how such a short-term transition can be made smoothly, how they could create ecosystems and cultures of work in which staff can be physically and mentally resilient. These measures will come at a cost and might not even be implemented with the next great recession looming, which would further exacerbate the risks of fragile mental health. Some organizations have started to invest in caring for the mental health of their employees: Starbucks is supporting employees with 20 free counselling sessions per year; PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is providing wellbeing coaches for staff; and UNDP has invested in increased support for its staff in this regard. Although this is far from being a trend, this service is becoming a standard social benefit in some cases organizations since they are investing more in the mental wellbeing of their employees.

Check out the next signal, #4: Wellbeing and the life-work balance.

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The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

Work helps sustain livelihoods and largely determines the quality of life. Its changing nature is at the frontier of development. This report is the result of a broad horizon scanning by six UNDP Accelerator Labs across Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  They reveal 30 signals that shape the “where, who, how, and why” of the changing nature of work. From the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce to new work models and entrepreneurial ecosystems, the authors explore opportunities and threats, as well as solutions from local contexts that can be scaled up into positive answers to the challenges people around the world are facing.  Download the full report here.