The importance of prioritising mental health to retain tech talent

A recent survey from BIMA revealed that 52% of the UK technology community have suffered from anxiety or depression at some point.

What’s more, a 2021 survey from Limeade found that 16% of employees (across several industries) who quit their jobs that year said they left because their mental health was not supported by the company.

With many tech workers continuing to work from home, supporting workers’ mental health has become more challenging, and consequently more important than ever before. With this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week focusing on the theme of anxiety, we wanted to take a closer look at how companies can retain tech talent by prioritising their employees’ mental health and wellbeing.

Why mental health support needs to be part of a company’s retention strategy

When employees are happy at work, they’re less likely to seek out new job opportunities. Research from Modern Health finds that 73% of employees and 81% of managers indicate that they’d be more likely to stay at a company that offered high-quality mental health resources.

Companies that don’t provide adequate mental health and wellbeing support are at risk of losing talent to competitors, which has the knock-on effect of impacting productivity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression and anxiety disorders in particular, cost the global economy over $1 trillion every year in lost productivity.

By contrast, a new study from the University of Warwick has found that happy employees are around 12% more productive.   To retain talent and maintain productivity in a fast-paced industry like tech, employers therefore need to ensure that workers’ wellbeing needs are being met.

Building a culture of connection

A recent report from Mind Share Partners found that 86% of employees across various sectors thought that a company’s culture should support mental health.

Fostering a culture of connection begins at the recruitment stage. Employers should outline health and wellbeing policies in job adverts, and illustrate how employees are supported in their roles.

Likewise, throughout the onboarding process, employers should check in with new hires and have open discussions about their wellbeing. In raising awareness of mental health early in an employee’s career, they’ll be more likely to seek support if it’s needed in the future.

Workers should also have access to external resources like counselling services, wellbeing apps like Headspace, and wellness action plans like those offered by mental health charity, Mind.

Providing health and wellbeing benefits

The Modern Health report also finds that 73% of employees and 76% of managers value mental health benefits over other employer-sponsored perks.

Companies should aim to gather feedback from workers on what type of health benefits would be of most value. By sending out employee surveys, companies can tailor benefits packages to meet workers’ expectations and mental health needs.

Benefits like gym memberships, cycle to work schemes, access to yoga classes, and mindfulness training can help companies move towards a more proactive approach to managing employee health and wellbeing.

The need for flexible working practices

A recent report from McKinsey found that 40% of workers say that workplace flexibility is a top motivator for staying in a role. What’s more, 26% said that a lack of flexibility was a major factor in why they quit their previous job.

A flexible working environment enables workers to achieve a better work-life balance, which in turn, contributes to improved wellbeing. According to recent research from PA Life, over two-thirds of UK workers report that flexible working policies could significantly improve their stress levels at work.

Companies should aim to build flexibility into their culture by developing flexible working policies that enable workers to plan their week around their wellbeing. For example, allowing workers to take time out to attend counselling sessions, or to take extra breaks throughout the day, can help them better manage stress, anxiety and avoid burnout.

By contrast, despite its importance to tech employees, flexible working (and remote working in particular) does make it more challenging for companies to support the wellbeing of employees. Employers should aim to have regular wellbeing check-ins with remote workers and ensure that they have access to the same resources as those that work in the office, or those with a hybrid working plan.

Mental health awareness training for managers

Mental health training shouldn’t be seen as a ‘nice to have’ – it should be a core part of every manager’s training. With adequate awareness, managers can identify the early signs that someone is struggling with their mental health, and put measures in place to support them.

According to a UK Government report, for every £1 an organisation invests in their employees’ mental health and wellbeing, they can expect to see an average return of £4.20. When we consider that poor mental health costs the UK economy at least £118 billion a year, it’s clear to see how companies can benefit from providing mental health training.

Mental health awareness training also reduces the stigma around the issue in the workplace as people can talk openly about their experiences and learn from the experiences of others. When workers know that they have access to managers with wellbeing training, they’re more likely to seek their support when they need help.

Research shows that when companies provide mental health support to employees, they benefit from having higher levels of retention. When employees feel supported at work, they’re less likely to seek out new job opportunities.  Fostering a culture of connection at the recruitment and onboarding stages means workers will be more likely to seek support if it’s needed in the future. Companies should tailor benefit packages to meet workers’ mental health needs and they should develop flexible working policies that benefit office workers as well as remote and hybrid employees. Likewise, providing managers with mental health training can help reduce the stigma in the workplace.

For more insights on how to support the mental health of tech workers, read the wellbeing articles on the CWJobs website.