Much has been said about younger generations’ attitudes towards mental health and their workplace – but new research highlights a growing mental health crisis among older employees, too.
Workers aged 50 and over now make up a third (33%) of the UK workforce – and about one in three workers over 55 have taken time off due to poor mental health in the past year.
The study, conducted by workplace mental health provider Unmind, suggests that older workers face barriers in discussing mental health at work. While there has been a focus on younger generations’ mental health, older employees report feeling excluded from these conversations. Many fear stigma and are reluctant to disclose mental health struggles, which in turn makes seeking support difficult.
The findings indicate that while mental health concerns affect employees of all ages, older workers are less likely to be open about their experiences. Nearly one in five (18%) workers over 55 attribute time off to physical health rather than mental health, with only 14 percent admitting the real reason, compared to 31 percent of 18-24-year-olds. More than half (51%) of workers aged 55-64 avoid discussing their mental health for fear of stigma, compared to just 29 percent of younger employees.
Lack of Workplace Support for Older Employees
Older employees also report lower confidence in their employers’ ability to support their mental health. Less than four in ten (39%) workers aged 55-64 believe their managers are well-equipped to help, compared to 60 percent of 18-24-year-olds. As businesses focus on extending working lives and encouraging older workers to remain in employment, failure to address these concerns could lead to further workforce disengagement.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), a key component of workplace mental health support, appear to be underutilised and less effective for older employees. Only 18 percent of workers aged 55 and over used their workplace’s EAP in the last year, compared to 63 percent of 18-24-year-olds.
Among those who did use an EAP, older workers were also the least likely to find it helpful, with only 43 percent saying it was beneficial, compared to 77 percent of younger employees. Additionally, only 59 percent of employees aged 55-64 rate EAPs favourably, compared to 76 percent of 25-34-year-olds.
Calls for a Tailored Approach to Mental Health Support
Dr Nick Taylor, CEO and co-founder of Unmind, spoke of the importance of adapting workplace mental health strategies to support employees of all ages.
“This data paints a clear picture: workplace mental health is not one-size-fits-all. For older generations, discussing mental health and illness is still stigmatised, while younger generations see these conversations as an essential part of overall health,” he said. “With the retirement age increasing and initiatives in place to bring older workers back into employment, businesses must ensure they are creating an environment where employees of all ages feel supported or risk exacerbating the challenges older workers already face.”
Without targeted action, businesses risk losing experienced employees due to unaddressed mental health concerns.