COVID-19: Looking Fear In The Eyes

Nearly 7 in 10 employees indicated in a survey by mental health provider Ginger that the COVID-19 pandemic is the most stressful time of their entire professional career, which has aligned with stark increases in new prescriptions of antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and anti-insomnia medications.

Published in an article by Human Resource Executive, findings indicate not only the stress-induced impact of the coronavirus pandemic on employees, but its major implications for employers as well.

According to Ginger, 88% of workers reported experiencing moderate to extreme stress over the past 4 to 6 weeks. Among those reporting stress, 62% noted losing at least one hour a day in productivity.

32% lost at least two hours a day

due to COVID-19–related stress.

“This research confirms that employers need to make mental health support a critical aspect of any plan in response to the pandemic, or risk a dramatic impact on employee health and productivity,” according to Sally Welborn, former vice president of global benefit for Walmart Stores.

Stress can have a profound effect on a myriad of populations, from patients with Parkinson disease to those with psoriasis.

Its frequent associations with insomnia, depression, and anxiety are now more noticeable than ever, with a survey by Express Scripts detailing how the pandemic has led to a distinct rise in mental health prescriptions that were previously on the decline.