Half of US employees have suffered from psychological well being issues for the reason that Covid-19 hit

When you are stressed, anxious, or lonely, you are not alone.

Almost half of American workers have had mental health problems since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has a significant impact on their well-being and potentially the bottom line of their employer.

According to a report from Portland, Oregon-based insurance company The Standard, there has been a significant increase in the number of full-time workers in the US dealing with mental health issues in the past 12 months.

About 46% of the 1,400+ workers surveyed late last year said they were struggling with mental health problems, compared with 39% a year earlier. And more than half of workers – 55% – said a mental health problem had hit them harder since the pandemic began.

However, many may not know who to turn to for help.

“The stigma of mental illness, therapy, and mental health at work can prevent many employees from using resources,” said Dr. George James, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a member of the CNBC Financial Wellness Council. “So it has to be driven, promoted and supported from top to bottom.”

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Also, workers may not realize that they are dealing with issues that affect the workforce around the world. In another survey of nearly 13,000 employees in 28 countries, including the United States, the majority of employees said they were increasingly concerned about job security and that changes in their work routine and organization were stressful. According to this report from the World Economic Forum and Ipsos, nearly half of respondents said they felt lonely and isolated from home.

Another problem many US workers face is “The stress of dealing with toxic people, as well as a pandemic and heightened awareness of racial injustices can be overwhelming if left untreated or supported,” added Dr. James added. “This can increase sales and decrease productivity.”

In the WEF report, nearly half of the world’s workers admitted having reduced productivity during the pandemic. These indirect costs of mental health problems can come at a heavy price for workers – and employers alike.

Even before the pandemic, research by the World Economic Forum found that the global cost of mental illness – including costs related to productivity losses – was around $ 2.5 trillion in 2010 and will rise to $ 6 trillion by 2030.