New research shines light on men’s mental health issues

For Men’s Health Week, WorkScore has reviewed the scores of over 3,000 male employees and discovered that one-third of respondents are struggling with poor wellbeing in areas such as work, body and mindset.

Data from WorkScore’s rolling online survey shows that one in three male employees in Australia reports that work negatively impacts their wellbeing in 11 key areas:

● sense of achievement at work
● recognition for work
● engaged by work
● stress at work
● sense of belonging at work
● flexibility at work
● good work/life balance
● work cares about wellbeing
● happiness at work
● feeling depressed
● feeling anxious

Suzanne Deeming, co-founder of WorkScore, said that regular stress at work, a lack of recognition and flexibility in hours and location are impacting the mental health of male employees and leading to increased anxiety.

The research supports the importance of a positive work/life balance for men in the workplace as male employees who rate a high work/life balance being 25 per cent happier and having reduced rates of depression.

“The data clearly shows that having flexibility in working hours plays a role in the mental health of male employees and for achieving a better balance between work and life” Ms Deeming said.

However, there is more to it than finding work/life balance and having flexibility. Stress levels are driven by what happens at work every day, and employers need to support with male-focused initiatives to reduce stress levels in their workplace and contribute to improved employee mental health.”

The good news is employers can take action to improve the wellbeing of male employees:

● Offer flexible work hours
● Regular positive reinforcement
● Encourage regular breaks
● Support with a male-focused wellbeing program

Jeff Mclean, chief operating officer at ASX-listed Eclipx and co-founder of WorkScore, described the importance that executives play in establishing a health-driven culture.

“In past times, employees who ate their lunch at desks, worked unpaid overtime, and put work ahead of everything else in their life were applauded and often promoted despite the negative consequences on their employees’ health.

“I believe C-Level executives, board directors and business leaders should encourage their people to prioritize their health, knowing that the productivity benefits from a healthy workforce far outweigh the investment in supporting wellbeing initiatives.”