Employees are lying about mental health days, but not because they don’t need them

Employees may need mental health days, but that doesn’t mean they want their employers to know that.

Mental health app Wysa surveyed 1,000 American employees about their mental health at work post-COVID-19 shutdowns. While the majority of respondents admitted to struggling with mental health symptoms, most preferred to tell their employers they were physically sick or work through the pain rather than admit they needed a day off for mental health. The study’s key findings included: 

Younger employees are struggling more: 40% of respondents said they suffer from moderate to severe mental health symptoms. However, almost half (47%) of Gen Z said they were struggling with clinical anxiety. Meanwhile, 41% of people older than 55 said they weren’t too stressed about work, compared to only 18% of those between ages 25 to 34.
People aren’t getting the help they need: One-third of respondents who have moderate to severe symptoms have not received help. Half of women who suffer don’t reach out. And 42% of respondents said they don’t get help because they don’t have time.
Employees are suffering in silence: 42% of employees said they have anxiety that their employer doesn’t know about, 38% said they had depression their employer doesn’t know about, and 26% said they suffer in silence about insomnia. 
Workers are lying about needing mental health days: Only 20% of workers have told their employer they are taking time off for mental health. Nearly one-third say they are physically ill, while 42% plow on regardless.

The findings speak to ongoing sensitivities around the topic of mental health at work, despite increased awareness and a growing expectation among employees that their employers offer mental health benefits.

“As it stands, too many people feel compelled to lie about taking time off when their mental health is affecting their ability to work,” Ramakant Vempati, cofounder of Wysa, wrote in the report. “Even those suffering symptoms of moderate anxiety or depression don’t feel comfortable letting their managers know. We can’t let this continue to be the elephant in the room, it’s time to start talking about it.”