Addressing mental health issues in IT culture is important for reasons beyond just human empathy. Anxiety, depression, and burnout lead to absenteeism and turnover among employees. On the contrary, investing in mental health results in better outcomes for organisations, including higher retention rates for their teams.

People who work in the IT sector are five times more likely to have poor mental health compared to the rest of the population. The British Interactive Media Association found that up to 52% suffer from stress, anxiety and depression at work. They are also plagued by prolonged headaches and sleep problems.

Yet the subject of mental health, which has once again taken a back seat in the aftermath of the pandemic, is surrounded by a significant stigma in the workplace. A survey by Paychex, which focused on the technology industry, found that more than half of those surveyed felt uncomfortable discussing their mental health problems with their bosses. A further 29% were worried that such a conversation could impact their promotion. A study by the Mental Health Foundation produced similar findings. More than a third of IT specialists hide their inner distress so as not to jeopardise their careers and a further 17% fear judgement from their work team.

What is the cause of poor mental health?

There are several answers. First of all, the IT sector has been significantly affected by a wave of mass layoffs since 2022. Since then, and until February 2024, more than 460,107 people worldwide have lost their jobs in the industry, taking a toll on both their confidence and financial stability. According to the 2023 Mental Health in Tech Report, up to 77% of people attribute the deterioration in their mental health to the fear of redundancy. Increased levels of depression and anxiety are also seen among those in managerial positions. Overall, 55% of people admit to coping with the stress of possibly losing their job by increasing their substance use. However, this is not the only reason why their mental health is worse.

While the exponential growth of the technology sector has created attractive opportunities, it also means that it is employing younger and younger generations who have little experience. Demanding projects combined with long working hours contribute to an imbalance between work and private life. Some studies suggest that up to 2 out of 5 people working in the technology sector may experience burnout. This leads to high turnover and a decline in both discipline and productivity, which ultimately affects companies. The stress experienced by IT specialists also affects their sleep, digestion and ability to relax. The general pressure to stay ahead of the competition, high expectations, deadlines and ever-changing demands exacerbate the situation.

The Mental Health Foundation surveyed approximately 1,000 managers. It found that almost a quarter of them had no formal protocols or procedures to follow if they thought a member of their team might have a mental health problem. It is therefore imperative that companies and their teams focus on mental health education. Individuals will then be able to identify problems and organisations will provide them with the appropriate support. Below are some tactics you can implement in your business:

Provide high-quality working conditions

Consider requests from teams to purchase software or provide training to enable them to do their best work. In addition, by automating routine processes, you can give your talented employees more time to innovate and come up with creative solutions.

Normalise mental health topics

Awareness is the first step that brings about change. Organizations can make their teams feel comfortable and heard by creating a safe space to discuss mental health issues. An anonymous questionnaire can identify their main mental health needs and condition.

Encourage a team mentality

If you want to avoid burnout in the tech industry, a healthy approach is to prioritize collaboration over competitiveness.

Train management to recognise mental health issues

Leaders should be well-equipped with the tools to spot early signs of deteriorating mental health in their teams and offer support to their colleagues. They should set clear expectations, emphasise the importance of boundaries and encourage regular breaks, holidays and personal time off without penalty.

Create a culture focused on inclusion

Since underrepresented groups suffer the most from poor mental health, increasing diversity in your company will help to improve it. What’s more, research shows that both male and female employees are more likely to report that female managers provide a greater level of support to teams compared to their male counterparts.

Provide useful benefits to improve mental health

Examples include therapeutic services and counselling, wellness, mental health hotlines, and other relevant sources of support. Encourage your staff to get quality sleep, diet and exercise. But remember, it’s not enough to offer them a generous vacation – you also need to encourage your employees to actually take advantage of it. In addition, if you allow flexible working hours and hybrid collaboration, you’ll support their work-life balance.

Organise social events

Through team-building activities and informal gatherings, you can foster friendships, cooperation, and mutual trust and reduce the isolation of your staff. Remember, if you want colleagues from out of town to attend company events, it’s a good idea to help them with travel and accommodation costs. You can also create communities to bring teams together based on common interests or sponsor their leisure activities.

Get feedback

Employees are the most valuable resource in any company and should be listened to no matter what position they hold. A culture of openness encourages collaboration in companies and makes people feel listened to. And it creates greater emotional safety in the workplace. 

Resolve conflicts and misunderstandings quickly and transparently

Initiate regular check-in meetings with involved parties, while maintaining respect and caution, as well as confidentiality when necessary. Be present until a solution is found to prevent problems from escalating.

Be aware of how your leadership style affects the organisation

When management addresses issues with empathy and understanding, it encourages team members to voice their concerns, especially when it comes to mental health issues.