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Cost to company Elna van Wyk, head of group disability and underwriting at Momentum Corporate, explores the impact Covid-19 will have on employees’ mental health and disability claims.
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BY ELNA VAN WYK ovid-19 has brought unprecedented disruption to our lives and economy. It is clear that the stresses are significant and an increase in mental health-related disability claims from employees at all levels, including management, seem inevitable.
While some people have become overproductive while working from home, many are struggling with motivation. The possibility exists that a productivity slump could follow, threatening economic growth if not managed by managers in organisations.
managers. Decision fatigue refers to the idea that willpower or ability to make good choices deteriorates in quality after an extended period of decision-making. Forced to make hard decisions with potentially severe consequences throughout the day, leaders might experience growing difficulty in accurately assessing the risks associated with different courses of action. A recent study by North-West University and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), which looked at the specific impact of Covid-19 and its related lockdown measures on people in the workplace, found that almost half the employees surveyed (46 percent) are at high risk of what researchers call pre-TSD (pre-traumatic stress disorder). As women tend to have additional domestic responsibilities on top of their professional ones, the current work-from-home scenario could see women – especially those in leadership roles – disproportionately impacted by stressors related to Covid-19.
“Not every employer can afford an employee assistance programme, especially at this time.”
On the other hand, the risk of employees not taking leave and getting burnt out increases the risk of mental health-related disability claims. Already at Momentum Corporate, nine percent of all disability claims are related to mental health. This percentage increases for younger employees, with 26 percent of all disability claims in 2020 for those under 35 years related to mental health.
While many people have lost their jobs, others who have returned to work are experiencing a lot of anxiety in navigating a sea of health and safety measures and a different work environment. For many people working from home, it has also meant a new level of multitasking and trying to do everything at once: working, looking after children and managing a household.
Managers have to support employees and be mindful of the challenges they face, such as isolation, distractions at home, concerns about family and friends, anxiety over workload and working remotely, or the death of a loved one. Managers have to do this while dealing with the same issues in their own lives.
The uncertainty of the pandemic is having a dramatic effect not only on people with existing mental health issues but also on those with no psychiatric pre-existing conditions. We are seeing this
Impact on decision-making Dealing with organisational challenges to keep businesses afloat can lead to decision fatigue for
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