Stressed? You’re not alone. We’re more aware of our own mental health in recent years, not least during the pandemic. But many are finding it harder to cope than ever before, especially when it comes to work.

In this joint report by Workplace Options (WPO) and ReMark, we explore ReMark’s 2020 Global Consumer Survey (GCS) on health and wellness and WPO’s practical stress counseling data to shed light on stress at work—and why staying positive is bigger than a battle of the mind.

Making progress on mental health

You’ve probably heard more about stress and mental health than ever before. The Global Burden of Disease study estimated that, in 2017, 792 million people lived with a mental health disorder; over one in ten people globally (10.7%)[1]. Worldwide, the statistics show that regardless of age, sex, ethnicity and religion, no one is immune to the burdens of stress.

Covid-19 is a physical fight for those infected, and a real mental journey for everybody. Although ReMark’s latest GCS finds that most respondents declare that there is still stigma around mental health (Fig.1), the pandemic has brought an opportunity to open up on mental health.

Public campaigns from brands or governments are encouraging a change of emphasis on the issue, raising awareness and encouraging people to talk about with mental illness. Just look at ‘Time to talk’ in the UK, ‘#EarForYou’ in India or ‘R U OK?’ in Australia and New Zealand. After years of chronic underfunding, there seems to have been a recent decisive change to invest more in mental health services, expanding the range of support and improving the quality of care offered. As an example, the 2020 theme for World Mental Health Day had the tagline, interestingly enough, of Let’s Invest.

According to ReMark’s GCS 2020, more than 1 in 3 of us feel often or always stressed; and 40% have reported having suffered from a period of mental distress. Moreover, these issues impact us all differently. Women and younger generations are disproportionally affected by mental health issues, with Gen Z and Millennials four times more likely than the Silent Generation (broadly, 75+) to have experienced a period of anxiety or stress.

Blame it on your job

Let’s turn to the causes of stress. Among the common candidates­—work, money, family and health, which are inevitably impacting each other—stress seems more prevalent for the employed (Fig 2).

Perhaps paradoxically, when comparing employed and unemployed populations, the figures highlight a marked difference, showing heightened stress levels among those working. People in employment:

• 29.9% of employed people are more likely to feel often or always stressed
• 18.5% are more likely to self-report having poor mental health
• 19.1% are more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues

As WPO provides services exclusively to employees worldwide, it allows us to dive deeper into the data behind counseling requests at work. In 2020, for employees who used the service, nearly 80% did so due to stress, followed by low mood and anxiety.

Gérer le stress : un combat complexe
Le stress est une question personnelle et complexe. Heureusement, il semble y avoir une prise de conscience accrue et une plus grande volonté de demander de l’aide. Une analyse réalisée par Workplace Options révèle que, rien qu’au début de la pandémie en mars 2020, le nombre de connexions au site web de soutien clinique en ligne de WPO a augmenté de 55 % par rapport à la même période de l’année précédente (fig. 5).

Nearly 9 in 10 people worldwide believe physical and mental health are linked. There is a clear correlation of self-perception of healthiness and stress. When people feel calm, they tend to feel more healthy, and vice versa (Fig. 6).

Having established the stigma surrounding mental health (Fig. 1), the GCS data finds a discrepancy between people who reported to have suffered from stress (42.2%), versus those who have gone for a formal diagnosis (26.8), as illustrated in Figure 7.

This is coherent with WPO’s figures on the usage of online counseling globally. Although there was a tenfold increase in March/April 2020, the total number of people taking up the services only accounted for less than 3% of all employees who were offered the service. This differs however depending on the country (Fig. 8). Further analysis is required to understand how effective this service will be as we transition to a more digital way of life.

Wrapping up

Financial and work issues, as ReMark has identified, are the most significant cause of stress in our lives globally. But dealing with them is a complex issue. We have found that:

Une majorité de personnes établit un lien évident entre la santé physique et la santé mentale. La perception qu’ont les individus de leur niveau de stress a un impact direct sur la perception qu’ils ont de leur état de santé général
. La pandémie a entraîné une prise de conscience accrue des problèmes de santé mentale, notamment le stress et l’anxiété. Ce phénomène était plus marqué chez les femmes et les jeunes générations.
La santé mentale fait l’objet d’une stigmatisation très forte et les barrières « psychologiques » qui empêchent de solliciter une aide professionnelle restent élevées. En combinant les données sur les tendances de consommation et les données « concrètes » issues d’un service de conseil professionnel, nous pouvons mieux comprendre les personnes et les causes sous-jacentes des troubles de santé mentale. Ces conclusions soulignent la nécessité de nouer des partenariats entre les différents écosystèmes. En nouant des partenariats avec différents secteurs, notamment les pouvoirs publics, les prestataires de soins et de services, les entreprises, les assureurs, les acteurs de la santé et les associations caritatives, nous pouvons non seulement sensibiliser le public, mais aussi mieux informer les personnes sur la manière de prendre simplement conscience de leur santé émotionnelle.

About ReMark

ReMark helps insurers worldwide grow sustainably. Part of the SCOR Group, ReMark has 37+ years of experience in data intelligence, marketing and tech solutions. We’ve carried out over 12,000 insurance marketing campaigns by phone, mail, digital and SMS, reaching 1 billion people around the world, and develop industry-leading tech products. Since 2014, ReMark publishes an annual Global Consumer Study (GCS) offering the freshest insights and analysis on attitudes to life insurance. We look at topics consumers care about like Covid-19, technology and mental health.

Find out more: www.remarkgroup.com

Disclaimer: This document is intended for general information only. It does not provide the reader with specific direction, advice, or recommendations. You may wish to contact an appropriate professional for questions concerning your particular situation.