MILLIONS of people forced to work from home for the first time by the coronavirus lockdown may be at risk of burn-out as their work-life balance is turned upside down.
One mental health clinic warned people could be overwhelmed by the non-stop “presenteeism”.
Last year, the Office of National Statistics found only 5 per cent of people in the UK worked from home, but that has now risen to nearly 50%.
The ONS recently found almost 85% of adults were worried or very worried about the effect Covid-19 was having on their lives, with an inability to make plans the biggest worry, cited by 52%.
Around half of parents also worried that home-schooling was affecting their children’s wellbeing.
The Scottish Government yesterday announced a £1m fund for charities to help new and expectant parents cope with the added strain on their mental health caused by the crisis.
Gerard Barnes, chief executive of the Smart TMS chain of clinics, said the lockdown was the first time many people had worked from home, and knowing how to be productive and when to clock off could be an issue.
He said his firm’s own research in February suggested many UK workers were already pushing themselves before the lockdown, with a third exceeding 50 hours week, almost half feeling obliged to check emails at night, and half lacking confidence in their bosses.
He said: “Work-life balance has long been a key issue for many workers in Britain, but the sudden transformation of working life brought about by Covid-19 and indefinite lockdown measures has left millions grappling with the dangers of presenteeism.
“Long working hours and constant access to phones and laptops has created a culture where employees are ‘always-on’, often to the detriment of their wellbeing and productivity.
“The necessity of working from home has blurred the lines of this balance even further.
“We must understand that the current working conditions forced upon Britain’s employees will severely impact the nation’s mental health and perception of work.
“This can have dire consequences for employees and the wider economy as people leave jobs more frequently and the talent pool shrinks.
“It is therefore of paramount importance that business decision makers are sensitive to the health and wellness of their employees, and equally important that employees are able to disconnect and successfully manage their mental health.”
The clinic, which specialises in a depression treatment called Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, has launched a helpline to support those struggling with the lockdown.
It recommends a five-point plan for home working: take regular breaks, be open with bosses about your workload, stick to a clocking off routine, exercise, and eat well and stay hydrated.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats will today call on the Scottish Government to expand grief counselling to help care workers cope with the “distressing consequences” of the pandemic.
With deaths from coronavirus in Scotland’s care homes expected to exceed those in hospital this week, Scottish leader Willie Rennie said counselling must be easily accessible.
He said: “The extent of deaths in care homes and the community has been a real shock for many across Scotland.
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who we’ve lost.
“The situation is especially upsetting for those working in care homes, dealing with the distressing consequences of this virus and witnessing deaths.
“It’s an unthinkable task and we must do more to support the staff on the frontline of community care.
“These brave staff love and care for their older and vulnerable residents. This is a heartbreaking and worrying time. The government must make grief counselling easily accessible to all - now and when this emergency is over.”
Also supporting those with mental health issues, the Scottish Government announced a new £1m Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund would open to applications in May.
It is aimed at charities and third sector organisations who can then support parents and families at risk of poor mental health during pregnancy and children’s early years.
Services will include enhanced peer support, parenting support and perinatal counselling. The fund will run for three years from August.
SNP mental health minister Clare Haughey said: “The third sector provides an invaluable source of support for the mental health of women, babies and their families during pregnancy and early parenthood.
“Last year, the Scottish Government provided funding to support the work of third sector organisations in this area and I am delighted that we are able to build on this with the new Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund.
“The fund will allow one-to-one support for organisations to help provide the services that women and their families need across Scotland.”
Celia Tennant, chief executive of Inspiring Scotland, which will run the fund, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Scottish Government with this important new third sector fund for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health charities.
“We know how vital the perinatal period is for families and how crucial the early years are for infant development. Charities across Scotland are doing essential work, and with the uncertainty caused by coronavirus, their work is more important now than ever. We look forward to continuing our support of the third sector and their support for infants and families at this crucial stage of life.”
The Smart TMS helpline is on 020 3855 4578, Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm
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