Our Market Report: Mental Health in Tech
Awareness surrounding mental health has been growing in recent years, thanks in no small part to the impact of the pandemic. As more and more people feel able to approach the subject openly and honestly, the ways in which people can seek and offer support are also improving.
One of the most important discussions concerning mental health is how employers can better support their employees. Creating a working environment that is conducive to well-being is essential, both for employee health and happiness and workplace productivity.
Mental Health in Tech
Research from AppDynamics has highlighted that tech industry professionals are disproportionately affected by mental health issues. The report shows that 89% of those in this field state they feel under immense pressure at work, with 84% saying they have difficulty switching off at the end of the day. Additionally, 81% shared that they feel increasingly frustrated at work and 63% say they’re experiencing more conflict with colleagues.
Through our recent Tech Salary Survey & Market Report, we’ve dived deeper insights into the issues. Armed with this information, it’s easier to understand the causes of poor mental health in the workplace and to identify solutions.
Job Satisfaction
Within our research, we discovered that 39% of tech employees feel satisfied with their current job. A further 35% of those polled said they are kind of satisfied or very satisfied, and just 26% are somewhat satisfied or not satisfied. This shows that although the majority are happy with their jobs, there is some room for improvement.
When it comes to how valued people feel in their current roles, these figures tell a similar story. 40% of employees said they do feel very valued in their role, with a quarter saying they don’t and 35% stating they feel somewhere in the middle.
Feeling satisfied in a role and valued as an employee will naturally contribute to a person’s overall feelings about their job, and how positively they feel about doing it.
Within our survey, we discovered that 35% of people working in the tech sector are open to exploring the job market and 62% are somewhat willing. Only 3% of those polled said they were not willing to consider the prospect of a new job currently. These figures should be concerning to tech industry employers and encourage them to improve their retention strategies.
Employee Benefits and Perks
Providing employees with generous benefits and perks is a simple way to help people feel satisfied and valued in their roles.
Of the desired benefits and perks listed in the poll, remote working was the most appealing with 48% of respondents listing it on top, closely followed by flexible working hours (47%) and increased annual leave (39%). Career development, private healthcare and better company culture were also popular answers.
Within tech, it’s arguably easier to implement alternative working structures – such as remote working and flexible hours – than in other industries. This means Managers can enhance employee wellbeing by offering these options. As an employer, it’s wise to check in with the whole team to determine what’s important to them. Only when you have a true sense of the benefits and perks that your employees want can you review and adjust what you offer.
Leadership
The importance of good management for employee mental health is often overlooked but should be a top business priority.
For the tech professionals polled, leading by example is the top trait of a good Manager, with being supportive and knowledgeable also of high importance. Additional desirable traits of a good manager include providing effective mentorship, as well as being fair, respectful and organised.
The least important trait of a good Manager is that they are strict or firm, which demonstrates this kind of leadership is not enjoyed by most.
This information highlights that investing in training and development for Managers is invaluable. Doing so will ensure they stay ahead of the curve and can guide their teams well. It’s also wise to make sure Managers are meeting with individual team members regularly. This helps them to stay engaged as a leader and to be aware of any issues as they arise.
Sick Leave
Being able to take time off when feeling unwell is essential to employee health and wellbeing. However, 45% of tech professionals stated they were very unlikely to take sick leave and only 9% said they would happily take time off for being unwell.
Not feeling sick enough to take leave was the main reason for working while ill, with having too much work to do listed as the second most popular reason. The issues of there not being enough staff to provide cover and being the only person with a certain skill are also high up on the list of reasons for not taking sick leave. Running out of sick leave is also a common reason, which could indicate that employees do not have an adequate number of sick days to use.
Employers can address this issue by reassuring everyone that it’s acceptable to take time away from work when they’re feeling unwell, as well as putting systems in place to make sure other team members can pick up the slack. Upskilling certain members of the team, so that they can perform a wider range of duties, is not only great for covering work while someone is off sick but can also contribute to feelings of individual progression and development. Additionally, it’s a good idea to review company policies to ensure everyone has access to a reasonable amount of sick leave.
Workplace Stress and Anxiety
Any workplace can have multiple stressors, especially in demanding and fast-paced industries such as tech. Sometimes these sources of stress and anxiety are temporary and resolvable, but sometimes they can be persistent and hard to overcome.
Within our survey, we asked tech professionals which factors at work have the biggest impact on their mental health. Too many hours at work was given as the biggest reason (42%) with bad company culture coming in second (41%). Negative relationships at work and an immediate boss or manager followed close behind.
Implementing a more flexible working structure can be a simple way to combat the stress of spending too many hours at work, as well as assessing the workload of each employee. It’s also important to evaluate workplace culture and how relationships are managed, with the view to making positive changes. Bullying at work is also a worryingly common reason that employees state impacts their mental health. Addressing and eliminating workplace bullying should be a top priority for every employer, and in the UK, companies have a legal duty of care to deal with this. Additionally, if the bullying pertains to a protected characteristic (age, race, gender, etc.), then this is harassment, which is a crime.
Taking Action
It’s clear from the findings of our report that more needs to be done within the tech industry to protect employee wellbeing at work.
It’s much harder for people to feel productive and happy if they don’t have the right support from Managers. Not addressing small situations as they arise can quickly lead to bigger problems, meaning that strong leadership is required and a commitment to a great culture at work should be a priority.
Download our Tech Salary Survey & Market Report for 2022/23 and gain full access to all of the insights. Within the report, we’ve primarily explored salary trends and job satisfaction levels, with the intention of helping employers to learn more about the expectations of jobseekers.
Also, if you’re hiring in the tech sector and want to ensure you bring the best people on board, then reach out to our friendly consultants to get started. We’re highly experienced in recruiting for a range of tech roles, such as Software Engineers, Software Developers, Data Scientists and Web Analysts.
