In recent times, everyone has learned that social interactions play a critical role in employees' overall mental health. The crisis we faced manifested societal disconnection between people in the workplace and at home.
With that said, employee mental health surveys have never been more crucial.
Mental health and mental wellness surveys are top of the workplace's agenda. Employers are stepping forward to support mental health through health initiatives, resource groups, workplace benefits, and other programs. According to a survey conducted by Oracle with 12,000 employees, 89% felt that the pandemic had a negative impact on their good mental health.
Here's where the employees' mental health survey comes in to help you understand how you should, as a people leader, support your workplace mental health. Let's dig deep into why you must implement and support mental health questionnaire before getting to the top 35+ questions.
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The pandemic put mental health condition and mental wellness issues under the spotlight amongst people like never before. But for many, mental health awareness have already existed behind the curtains due to some pre-existing conditions.
So, mental issues aren't something employees can "leave outside the office" or "turn off." The conditions will affect employees in their workplace. According to the American Institute of Stress, 83% of U.S. workers suffer from work-related stress, leading them to anxiety, feel overwhelmed at the workplace, and employee burnout.
And the pandemic wasn't easy on employees either, as it harmed their mental health more than ever. According to Mental Health America, depression ranks third among employees' workplace problems, following stress and family crises, and it costs over $51 billion in lost productivity and absenteeism and $26 billion in direct treatment costs. So, if left untreated, depression in the workplace can cost nearly as much as AIDS or heart disease.
So, the days of skipping or ignoring workplace mental health are long gone. Sound mental health resources are vital as it allows coping with challenges at home and work.
A culture of positive workplace mental health resources helps employees remain agile while changing roles and responsibilities. It also guides employees to flourish in their careers, boosts resilience, and manages stress, ultimately allowing them to aim for their highest potential.
Creating a secular workspace for employees at all levels without any discrimination is crucial and achievable through useful data from mental health questions. You must implement the mental health survey to ensure valuable feedback and retain valuable talents.
So, in today's fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment, the importance of employee mental health surveys cannot be overstated. These surveys serve as a critical tool for organizations to gauge the well-being of their workforce and make informed decisions to support their employees.
The insights gained from such surveys provide a roadmap for employers to address the unique mental health challenges faced by their teams. This includes tailoring wellness programs, identifying stressors, and offering targeted resources to mitigate workplace stress and burnout.
Additionally, mental health surveys help break down the stigma associated with discussing mental health issues in the workplace. By normalizing conversations around mental well-being, companies foster a more open and inclusive culture where employees feel comfortable seeking help when needed.
Furthermore, these surveys are not just about addressing mental health problems but also about nurturing potential. When employees feel their mental health is valued and supported, they are more likely to thrive in their roles, unlocking their full potential and contributing positively to the organization's success.
Mental health awareness is critical for fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, both in workplaces and in society. The primary objectives of mental health awareness initiatives are aimed at improving overall well-being and creating a culture that understands and supports mental health challenges. Below are key objectives:
Work-related risks that harm mental health are psychosocial risks related to specific characteristics of the workspace such as, work schedules, or lack of opportunities for employees' career development, etc. Although psychosocial risks can be in all sectors, some employees are more likely to develop them because of what they do.
According to the World Health Organization, globally, $12 billion working days are lost annually due to anxiety and depression at the cost of $1 trillion yearly in lost productivity.
Preventing mental health conditions at the workplace is about managing psychosocial risks. Employers should conduct regular interventions through mental health surveys to remove workplace risks of mental conditions. Not only that, mental health surveys can also help to modify or remove workplace risks to employee mental health and pave the way to provide flexible working arrangements and take necessary actions.
According to FreshBooks, an average human spends approximately 90,000 hours in the workplace of their life, which is a seriously significant amount of time.
So, work should also be the source of happiness and fulfillment, but often common mental disorders affect the work and the personal life balance. The following are the ways that mental health can affect work:
Employee engagement displays how the employees feel, think, and act in the emotional connection towards their organization, job, and co workers. Engaged employees are motivated to work harder, develop greater solutions, solve problems, stay loyal, and grow along with the company to contribute to organizational success.
According to Gallup, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their workplace and work. To track employee engagement and pinpoint where to devote your efforts, you must determine the engagement level metrics through employee engagement and mental health survey questions.
With the pandemic and continuous remote work practices, communication challenges will be around for some time. According to Business Wire, 71% of employees reported feeling more productive when they are more connected to their colleagues. So, leading businesses face these challenges through engagement and mental health survey to ensure employees can effectively communicate wherever they work.
Workplace or employee productivity measures the employees' output. The purpose of any organization is to be more successful and grow at a sustainable pace. Here the employees' productivity has the capability to break or make a successful company since the two primary keys to success are effectiveness and productivity.
It is unfair to evaluate knowledge-based workers purely by their productivity output. Quality is often essential, meaning that the final work delivered or the sheer amount of time spent might not be directly related to an employee's productivity. According to Apollo Technical, an average office worker is productive for less than 3 hours per day.
So, in today's knowledge based on the economy, organizations value employees' productivity from the volume of output and other engagement metrics similar to mental health survey.
Decision-making plays a valuable role in every employee's day-to-day life and directly impacts the organization's success, whether making daily choices or suggesting new strategies. When employees have better decision making capabilities, it empowers them by leveraging their strengths, expertise, and experiences.
But decision-making can be challenging; according to a McKinsey survey questionnaire, 60% of executives believe bad decisions are as frequent as good ones. So, measuring employees’s mental well being through mental health survey and improving the team mentally fit to make the right decisions in the decision-making process benefits the entire organization since you will have the right mix of skills and expertise.
Physical and mental health are two sides of the same coin, so it isn't surprising to know that mental conditions can also impact the body. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), depression can increase the risks of various health problems, including chronic diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
As per an IBM study, only 46% of employees feel that their company supports their physical and emotional health. So, when employees aren't physically healthy, they often develop mental conditions, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness. Frequent mental health survey will highlight employees' changing expectations and allow you to play an active role in positively impacting employees' physical health.
Mental health issues can lead to increased absenteeism, with employees taking more sick days to deal with their mental and physical health challenges. On the flip side, some employees might come to work despite their mental health struggles, leading to presenteeism, where they are physically present but not fully productive.
Both absenteeism and presenteeism can result in reduced overall productivity and higher healthcare costs for organizations.
Employees facing unaddressed mental health issues may seek employment elsewhere, leading to higher turnover rates. Recruiting and training new employees can be costly and time-consuming. Therefore, organizations that neglect their employees' mental well-being may find themselves facing a revolving door of talent, which can hinder long-term growth and stability.
Mental health issues can disrupt team dynamics and collaboration. When one team member is struggling with their mental health, it can affect the morale and effectiveness of the entire team. Negative behaviors, conflicts, and strained relationships can arise, making it challenging to achieve common goals and maintain a positive work environment.
Failure to address mental health issues in the workplace can expose organizations to legal and compliance risks. Various laws and regulations require employers to provide a safe and healthy work environment, including addressing mental health concerns. Neglecting these obligations can lead to legal repercussions, fines, and damage to the organization's reputation.
Mental health issues among employees can also affect customer relations. Employees who are stressed, anxious, or unhappy are less likely to provide excellent customer service.
This can result in dissatisfied customers, lost business opportunities, and damage to the company's reputation. Therefore, investing in employees' mental health is not only crucial for internal operations but also for maintaining positive external relationships.
When employees struggle with mental health issues, their reduced productivity and engagement can negatively impact the organization's financial performance. Lower efficiency, increased errors, and the need for additional resources to cover absences can lead to higher operational costs and reduced profitability.
In workplaces where mental health is not openly discussed or supported, employees may face stigma and discrimination. This can prevent them from seeking help or disclosing their struggles, further exacerbating their condition and creating a culture of fear and exclusion. Addressing mental health openly can help reduce stigma and promote a more inclusive workplace.
Despite all the positive press about remote working, it isn't what it claims to be in practice. Working from home often leads employees to social isolation, work-from-home burnout, and employment uncertainty. According to Forbes, 45% of employees attended more meetings at home than in the office, and 40% experienced mental exhaustion from video calls while remote working.
Companies were thriving to implement complete remote working successfully, but they fell short in some crucial places, including:
For most of us, remote working and the pandemic started simultaneously, and it wasn't easy for employees to manage their mental health needs in tough times. According to Harvard Business Review, in the sudden shift to work from home and pandemic, 75% feel more socially isolated, 57% feel more significant anxiety, 67% report higher stress, and 53% say they are emotionally exhausted.
Since employees are facing enormous uncertainty, responsibility, and are unable to handle change, measuring metrics, including mental health surveys, help you identify the place that needs more effort.
Complete remote work isn't a fair trade-off for everyone; according to the Business News Daily, 40% of employees work longer remotely than in the office. On the other hand, according to the New York Times, remote and hybrid working are overrated as they cannot compensate for lost creativity.
So remote work at times makes it harder for teams to make decisions, exchange ideas, ask or answer questions, collaborate, and be creative.
Work-life balance is essential in a healthy work environment as it helps reduce stress and prevent workplace burnout. But, according to the Sixth Tone, 47% of leaders do not intend to offer remote or hybrid work anymore as it's bad for employees' well-being, and 77% feel that it negatively impacts company culture and team building.
So, executives are trying to get employees to return to the office, as remote culture leads to a sense of social isolation, lack of understanding, lack of work-life boundaries, and meaninglessness.
Remote work often comes with communication challenges that can hinder productivity and collaboration. Misunderstandings can arise from written messages, leading to confusion or conflicts among team members. Additionally, time zone differences can make it difficult to schedule meetings or coordinate with colleagues in different regions.
Working remotely may limit employees' access to essential resources and tools readily available in the office. This can include specialized equipment, technical support, or physical documents. In some cases, employees may face delays or obstacles in obtaining the resources they need to perform their job effectively.
Remote workers may experience a reduced sense of belonging and connection to their organization and colleagues. They miss out on the spontaneous interactions and social connections that occur in a physical office. This can lead to feelings of isolation and detachment from the company's culture and values.
Remote work can pose security risks, especially when employees access company systems and data from various locations. Ensuring the security of sensitive information, protecting against cyber threats, and maintaining compliance with data privacy regulations can be more challenging in a remote work setting. Organizations must invest in robust cybersecurity measures to mitigate these risks.
Millions of people worldwide suffer from mental illness every year. It's crucial to measure how common mental illness is among employees through a mental health survey so you can understand their conditions' physical, financial, and social impact as a decision-maker.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in the U.S., 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness, and 1 in 20 adults undergo severe mental illness. These numbers are tools for raising awareness and stigma-busting for better healthcare.
Employees with physical or mental health issues either miss work or attain lower productivity rates, so employers must focus on workplace mental health condition. As per the National Library of Medicine, 86% of employees who received depression treatments report improved work performance.
With these statistics in mind, here are four ways that your company can support employee mental health:
To proactively address this crucial aspect of their workforce's well-being, many organizations utilize mental health questions for employees as a valuable tool. Here's why these questions have become an essential part of modern workplace strategies:
When creating a survey to assess mental health, it's crucial to approach the topic with sensitivity and clarity. Asking the right questions can provide valuable insights while ensuring employees feel comfortable and supported. Below are key strategies to consider:
Yes, hybrid working is an excellent idea as it promises the best of both worlds, allowing employees opportunities for in-person employee engagement at the workplace and the flexibility of working from home. However, hybrid work might damage employees' mental health more.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2019, 15% of working adults had mental disorders worldwide. So remote and hybrid workplace cultures aren't always the reason behind workers' mental health, but post-pandemic, they weren't easy on employees either. But what's precisely about the hybrid work culture that makes it so draining?
So typically, hybrid is about something other than making employees' commute worthwhile or asking employees to return to the office twice weekly. It's more about creating an engaging work experience that makes the most of employees' time and makes them feel beneficial to their mental health.
Frequent employee assessments through mental health survey questions allow employers to collect data and have valuable insights from their employees to choose the right action and be spot on with workers' mental health issues. Also, implementing a mental health survey questionnaire displays an accurate picture of employees' psychological and emotional state and helps employers to collect data to execute further efforts effectively.
Mental health survey questions with no background research will lead you nowhere. As a people leader, you can have a better understanding how to implement the best tool in the market for mental health survey questions are crucial. Here's where CultureMonkey's research-oriented mental health survey questionnaire comes in handy!
CultureMonkey's mental health survey questions derive the required information about your employees and allow you to have customized actions for your employees' needs.
Now let's see the top 15 mental health survey questions that you are looking for:
Evaluating employee mental health is a vital aspect of creating a supportive and productive work environment. Here are five effective ways to assess and monitor the mental well-being of your team:
In the quest to evaluate employee mental health effectively, CultureMonkey's mental health survey tool emerges as the optimal choice among the various methods available. It's not just about asking questions; it's about fostering a culture of care and prioritizing the well-being of your workforce.
CultureMonkey delves deep into the minds and hearts of employees, providing a holistic understanding of their mental health. The tool's well-crafted questions cover aspects of support, communication, work-life balance, stress management, and overall mood, painting a comprehensive picture of employee well-being.
Moreover, CultureMonkey values privacy and anonymity, ensuring that employees can express themselves candidly. This creates a safe space for open dialogue and empowers organizations to tailor support programs to individual needs.
Prioritizing mental health with an investment in your employees' well-being and, ultimately, the success and sustainability of your organization.
Mental health surveys should ideally be conducted quarterly to capture regular insights into employees' well-being. This frequency allows organizations to identify trends and intervene before issues escalate. However, depending on the workplace environment and specific needs, bi-annual or annual surveys may also be appropriate. Consistency is key to tracking progress and making data-driven decisions to improve workplace mental health.
Mental health survey questions help identify stressors, areas of concern, and overall well-being among employees. By gathering this data, organizations can implement targeted interventions, such as wellness programs or workload adjustments. Additionally, these surveys foster open communication, showing employees that their mental health is valued, which can lead to increased engagement, productivity, and a healthier, more supportive work environment.
Anonymity in mental health surveys can be ensured by using third-party platforms or anonymized data collection methods. Avoid asking for identifiable information, such as names or department details. Implementing secure, encrypted systems for survey responses also protects confidentiality. Communicate clearly to employees that their responses are anonymous, fostering trust and encouraging honest feedback, which is crucial for accurate assessments of workplace well-being.
Tailoring mental health survey questions involves considering the specific challenges and dynamics of each workplace. For example, remote work environments may focus on isolation or communication issues, while high-pressure industries might address burnout. Engage with employees and leadership to understand the unique stressors present and customize questions accordingly, ensuring they resonate with the specific environment and provide actionable insights.
When addressing negative feedback from mental health surveys, organizations should respond promptly and transparently. Acknowledge the concerns raised, and communicate a clear plan of action to address them. Engage in follow-up discussions with affected teams or individuals to better understand their issues. Implement changes where necessary and monitor the impact, ensuring employees see that their feedback leads to tangible improvements in workplace well-being.
Santhosh is a Sr. Content Marketer with 2+ years of experience. He loves to travel solo (though he doesn’t label them as vacations, they are) to explore, meet people, and learn new stories.
