-- Morneau Shepell's Mental Health Index(TM) for October continues 
     to trend well below the pre-pandemic benchmark with a decline 
     in work productivity

Morneau Shepell, a leading provider of total wellbeing, mental health and 
digital mental health services, today released its monthly Mental Health 
Index(TM) report, revealing a consistent trend of negative mental health among 
Australians at the seven-month mark of the pandemic. The Mental Health 
Index(TM) for October is -11.3, showing that Australians' mental health 
continues to be at risk, with reduced workplace productivity and the need for 
mental health support adding to the continuing mental strain of the pandemic.

The Mental Health Index(TM) score, which measures the improvement or decline in 
mental health from the pre-2020 benchmark of 75, is a slight improvement when 
compared to September (-13.2). This trend is displayed across all sub-scores 
tracked in The Mental Health Index(TM), including financial risk (2.6), 
psychological health (-4.3), isolation (-11.4), optimism (-12.1), anxiety 
(-12.5) and depression (-12.7).

Given the prolonged period of increased strain, 45 per cent of the Australian 
population report needing some form of mental health support. The most commonly 
reported source of mental health support is from family members (20 per cent), 
followed by support from friends or co-workers (18 per cent) and support from a 
mental health professional (eight per cent). Additionally, nine per cent of 
respondents indicate they need support but have not sought it. This group has 
the lowest mental health score (-33.6).

Flexible work hours key to improving work productivity and employee mental 
health
The score for workplace productivity (-13.8) is lower than all other sub-scores 
in October, however, with many employees continuing to work remotely for the 
seventh consecutive month, increased workplace flexibility is helping to keep 
them motivated. Among 80 per cent of respondents who report having flexible 
work hours, 37 per cent indicate that having flexible work hours helps their 
productivity. This group's mental health score is the highest (-10.3), compared 
to respondents who report that flexible work hours reduces their productivity 
(-20.4).

"Though the country has seen an incredible near-elimination of COVID-19 in 
recent weeks, it's important to remember that employee expectations have 
changed since before the pandemic," said Jamie MacLennan, managing director, 
Australia and APAC. "Employees have come to expect flexibility from their 
employers. Understanding that routines have changed and adapting policies to 
meet this shift will be critical to continue supporting employees' physical and 
mental wellbeing. This has never been more important as we continue to see a 
direct link between employee mental health and business success."

Reduced hours more detrimental to Australians' mental health than unemployment 
or reduced salary
While most respondents remain employed (94 per cent), 22 per cent report 
reduced hours or salary since April 2020. Individuals reporting reduced hours 
when compared to the prior month have the lowest mental health score 
(-18.9), followed by those not currently employed (-17.0) and those reporting 
reduced salary (-16.3). Despite working fewer hours, 42 per cent of respondents 
reported putting in more effort at work.

"Australians are now being encouraged to return to the physical workplace and 
while this will bring a sense of normalcy, employers need to continue 
prioritizing workplace mental health strategies. Changes in routine and ongoing 
uncertainty about the pandemic remain ongoing stressors," said Paula Allen, 
senior vice president of research, analytics and innovation. "Overall, 
Australia has handled the pandemic very well. Ensuring employee mental health 
is a key business priority will be critical to making sure the mental health 
crisis is mitigated as successfully as the physical pandemic."

About the Mental Health Index(TM)
The monthly survey by Morneau Shepell was conducted through an online survey in 
English from September 28 to October 19, 2020, with 1,000 respondents in 
Australia. All respondents reside in the Australia and were employed within the 
last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the 
regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The 
Mental Health Index(TM) is published monthly, beginning April 2020, and 
compares against benchmark data collected in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The full 
Australia report can be found at 
https://www.morneaushepell.com/permafiles/93112/mental-health-index-report-australia-october-2020.pdf.


The Mental Health Index(TM) is owned by Morneau Shepell – the wellbeing company 
that acquired LifeWorks in 2018.

About Morneau Shepell
Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that 
deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based 
platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to 
support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. 
By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in 
employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and 
benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment 
services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with 
some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. For 
more information, visit morneaushepell.com ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2979340-1&h=2511089275&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.morneaushepell.com%2F&a=morneaushepell.com 
).

Source - Morneau Shepell Inc.

CONTACT: Heather MacDonald, Morneau Shepell, media@morneaushepell.com, 
0011-1-855-622-3327; Catherine Snider, Kaiser & Partners, 
catherine.snider@kaiserpartners.com, 0011-1-416-419-8333