Addressing mental health in the tech industry

In today's fast-paced and highly pressurised tech industry, where innovation and productivity are paramount, the significance of mental health should be at the forefront of any business agenda. Looking after the mental well-being of employees is not only morally right, it is also critical to avoiding burnout.

It is crucial to identify the workplace factors affecting mental health in order to address them by providing human-centric solutions that can improve employees’ wellbeing not only at work, but in their day to day lives. Without positive mental health in the workplace, businesses will see a down turn in productivity, employee retention, attendance and engagement.

In 2022 The Burnout Index surveyed 32,644 tech professionals across 33 countries and found:

62% of tech professionals feel physically and emotionally drained due to the demands of their job.

69% of women and 56% of men feel run down and drained of physical and emotional energy after a workday.

2 in 5 of the workers surveyed show a high risk of burnout with 42% of these considering quitting their role in the next 6 months.

Tech workers are more susceptible to impostor syndrome due to the rapidly evolving nature of the industry.

Employers have a responsibility to address these concerns, but there are also things employees can do to help themselves.

We all have a responsibility towards our own mental well-being, and there are practices we should do to help us overcome the pressures of work. Practising mindfulness is a proven way to reduce stress and improve mental clarity. It’s fruitful to find which practices work for you, whether that’s meditation, breathing exercises, visualisation or journaling. These are all ways to help release stress or anxiety.

Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life is important when managing work life balance. Not only does it improve mental health, but it benefits performance too. Employees with a good work-life balance are more efficient, productive and motivated.

Both in and out of work, it’s a good idea to avoid setting unattainable expectations and instead aim to set goals that reduce pressure. This is where seeking support comes in. No one should be afraid to seek professional help if needed, and this doesn’t have to be from your line manager or a People & Talent team. Therapy and counselling are proven to inspire change and improve the quality of life through self-awareness and self-exploration.

Employers also have a duty of care when it comes to employees’ mental wellbeing. With remote and hybrid working environments now being the norm, communication with teams is more crucial than ever. This starts with line managers keeping their teams engaged, and so ensuring line managers have the tools and support to do this is paramount to its success. Where possible, businesses should also foster social connections through regular events, ideally in person, ensuring employees don’t feel isolated in remote working environments.

Frequent feedback should be encouraged through various platforms including engagement surveys, pulse surveys and employee reviews/appraisals. Employees are the most valuable resource in any business and should be heard, no matter what their role. Fostering an open culture that encourages feedback helps support collaboration and ensures employees also feel heard, something that directly links to emotional security in the workplace.

In tech particularly, providing accessible resources enables employees to fulfil their roles and maintain motivation. This is where requests for software or training should always be considered, whilst ensuring the technical architecture of the businesses products and services are aligned to the skills and expertise of the team. Just like you wouldn’t give a lumberjack a toothpick to cut down a tree, you wouldn’t give a developer access to tools that do not fully enable them to do their job. Barriers like this ignite stress in the workplace.

Finally, employers should provide employees access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and if possible, have mental health first aiders in the workplace. These small gestures alone indicate that employers take mental health seriously, and should be supported with empathy from leadership. Every business should foster this same approach so that their employees feel they are in a safe environment to seek support from their employer.