Mind the Workplace: Work Health Survey 2021

Abstract

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a debilitating impact on the nation and its people’s physical, mental, and financial health. This is especially true for employees and workplaces across company size and industry. The unemployment rate increased to 14.7 percent in April 2020 and has yet to return to its 3.5 percent pre-pandemic rate. MHA’s third annual Work Health Survey, available between February and September 2020, provides an opportunity to better understand the mental health challenges employees were experiencing during the pandemic. The Work Health Survey measured the perceptions of over 5,000 employees across 17 industries in the United States. Survey questions measured financial insecurity, burnout, supervisor support, workplace stress, and mental illness. The survey explored the relationship between workplace and supervisor support, and its impact on burnout and employee mental health outcomes as work environments adapted to pandemic-related changes.