While U.S. employees say most parts of their lives have improved since the coronavirus pandemic was declared in March 2020, their opinions on mental health are divided, according to a new survey by software company Qualtrics.
The survey, which polled more than 1,000 employees, found that, while 31 per cent said their mental health has improved since the start of the pandemic, the same percentage of respondents said their mental health has worsened.
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However, respondents reported improvements in other areas, including work-life balance (43 per cent, versus 18 per cent who said it’s worsened), overall happiness (41 per cent versus 24 per cent), family life (40 per cent versus 19 per cent), job satisfaction (39 per cent versus 20 per cent), finances (38 per cent versus 27 per cent), and career progress (36 per cent versus 17 per cent).
Among the 47 per cent of employees who changed jobs during the pandemic, their top reasons were increased flexibility (16 per cent), more growth opportunities (14 per cent), remote working opportunities (11.5 per cent) and higher pay (10.5 per cent)
Two-thirds (66 per cent) said their workload has increased during the pandemic. However, a similar percentage (69 per cent) also said they’ve worked more effectively during the pandemic and 54 per cent said they’re most productive when working from home. The vast majority (93 per cent) said the pandemic has forever changed the way they work and 83 per cent said they’re pleased with how their employer handled the pandemic.
Read: 56% of U.S. white-collar workers reporting improved mental health due to hybrid work: survey