Australian workers turn to digital mental health tools

Australian professionals are facing a mental health crisis and are turning to digital mental health tools to cope, according to Headspace Health.

A report published by the organisation found that nearly nine in 10 (88%), Australian CEOs report having used digital mental health tools.

Globally, adoption has doubled since 2020, with 54% of Australian workers having previously used technology-based emotional or mental health services.

But the research also found that one in three Australian workers feel their employer isn’t doing enough to support their mental health. While 71% say their company increased focus on mental health during the pandemic, only 31% say the company has kept that focus as the crisis resides.

There is a disconnect between CEOs and employees in this regard, with 97% of Australian CEOs thinking they do enough to support workforce mental health compared to only 66% of employees.

Australian employees are also facing acute stress, with 91% of Australians reporting experiencing moderate to extreme stress at least once a week. The top stressors for Australian employees include COVID-19, burnout due to increased workload or lack of staff, and a poor work-life balance.

This is having an impact on employee productivity, with 72% reporting having missed at least one day of work — and 41% a full week of work — during the past year due to stress, anxiety or other mental health challenges.

“Employee mental health is a business continuity issue that every leader needs to address, particularly as many employees return to the office and experience new day-to-day stressors,” Headspace Health CEO Russell Glass said.

“To attract and retain talent, it’s critical that leaders destigmatise mental health from the top down and meet the growing expectations of their employees for high-quality mental health benefits.”

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