62% of Colombian workers have had symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic

The creators of Momentu, an app dedicated to providing mental health services for workers in companies in Colombia and Latin America, made a literature review of the psychological impact of the pandemic on companies' employees. They took into account information from ANDI, Dane, consultancy Deloitte, a report by Oracle and WorkPlace Intelligence, and a report from the Ideas for Peace Foundation (IFP), among other sources.

One of his first findings is that the balance between personal and work life has worsened after the arrival of covid-19. According to ANDI figures, 57% say that teleworking during the pandemic has exceeded 8 hours a day and, in the case of women, 61% have seen their working hours increase, compared to 53% of men.

Figures from DANE confirm that 21 million Colombians in the last year said they had worked more than 40 hours a week. 85% of people acknowledge that problems at work have negatively impacted their relationship as a couple, with children or with other close family members.

On the other hand, work stress, anxiety and fatigue have put the mental health of workers in Colombia in jeopardy. Although three out of ten people have reported symptoms of anxiety and depression to their Occupational Risk Managers (ARL) and Health Promoting Entities (EPS) since 2013, ANDI noted that 62% of employees of organizations and companies have suffered from this type of disease since the declaration of the health emergency .

According to the recent Mercer Marsh Benefits survey, 81% of HR leaders said that offering digital mental health services was one of their priorities when it came to delivering benefits to their employees during 2021.

In fact, this type of aid allows companies to save significant economic resources, since it is estimated that for every dollar companies invest in mental health issues, they obtain a return of 4 dollars, achieving better worker performance, NPS (Net Promoter Score) and a decrease of up to 25% in turnover levels labor.

Similarly, with the new office environment caused by the pandemic, companies are increasing their wellness programs: 58% provide emotional health benefits, not only with the aim of retaining talent, but also to contribute to people's mental and emotional balance.

From the experience of Juan Pablo Montoya, CEO of Momentu, taking into account the mental health of employees contributes to their motivation, productivity, commitment and, even, reduces absenteeism with non-economic incentives that are focused on improving their well-being and quality of life.

“To determine the well-being of workers, observable signs such as changes in mood, neglect in their work, deconcentration or lack of motivation can be taken; also how they take on the challenges of each day, if they are paralyzed by the stress of daily tasks, and how they take on setbacks or unforeseen events. Another important aspect is to take into account the level of productivity and sick leave,” he explains.

In this context, Montoya says that “more than 40% of companies in the world will seek to improve the well-being of their staff starting this year, so emotional pay plays a very important role for organizations”.

According to a recent report by Oracle and WorkPlace Intelligence, 76% of people believe that companies should do more to protect the mental health of their workers.

1. Increases talent retention rates by 25-30% and generates greater staff attraction.

2. It generates more effectiveness in managing risks or negative impacts on organizations.

3. It improves the reputation of companies by more than 50% and generates greater interest in investors to inject capital.

4. Increases employee productivity, commitment and work performance by more than 30%.

5. Costs are saved by up to 20% related to work disabilities associated with work stress, depression and anxiety (burnout).

6. Greater resilience is encouraged among employees and better working relationships are created.

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