Real estate professionals see mental health decline in pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health and wellbeing of most real estate professionals, with social anxiety, concerns about job security and a mounting workload all adding pressure. EG’s second mental health survey, conducted between September and November, saw responses from nearly 300 real estate workers nationwide. Two-thirds of respondents said Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health, while more than half said their mental health has not improved or has worsened over the past year. One of the most cited negative effects was fear of job losses. Feeling isolated from colleagues and experiencing anxiety as a result was another widely held concern, as well as feeling overwhelmed with a growing workload while working remotely. Grainger chief executive Helen Gordon said the results are “very worrying but, unfortunately, not at all surprising”. She added that companies need to focus on providing support that works best for individuals. “We’ve seen this with remote working, where some people found comfort and safety in working from home, but for others the isolation was unbearable,” she said. “It’s important to provide a framework of support that is adaptable to individual needs.” LISTEN: Where do we go from here to improve mental health in property? Home versus office There was a relatively even split between respondents who said remote working during the pandemic has improved their mental health (43%) and those who said working from home has had a negative effect on their wellbeing (53%). Those who felt working remotely had boosted their mental health said there has been less pressure to exhibit presenteeism and that working more flexible hours had been positive. However, some of those who had experienced a decline in mental health while being away from the office said being distanced from colleagues had made their job harder. Savills’ head of HR for the UK, Europe and the Middle East, Noel McGonigle, said: “Working from home has proven the benefits of flexibility, but it has also emphasised just how important being in the office is for many. “It is undoubtedly hard to create a culture remotely, so how we engage during this time will have a long-term impact. Ultimately, these conversations must keep going regardless of Covid.” Melanie Olrik, HR partner at Hollis, said the industry should continue to offer flexible working options post-Covid. “I think employers embracing flexibility has really helped with mental health,” Olrik added. “We as an industry do need to be flexible and give people options because we’ve proved it is possible. In order for people to work to their best, some sort of flexible option is going to be the way forward.” Removing the stigma Covid has also set back more meaningful progress that could have made following EG’s survey in 2019. Half of all property professionals surveyed said they have experienced unmanageable stress and/or mental health issues in their current role, up from 42% last year. This is also much higher than the national average: according to NHS statistics, one in six people will experience a mental health illness while working. Around 77% of respondents said they know of colleagues suffering from a mental health illness or unmanageable stress, up from 72% last year. Avison Young UK principal and president Jason Sibthorpe said the statistics were “troubling” and that mental health must continue to be paramount next year. He added: “We must not lose the momentum of the strength and breadth of communication that I think all firms have put in place during this period. Engagement has made a huge difference.” Progress has been made, however, in destigmatising discussions around mental health. Around 69% of property professionals said their company has improved its focus on and approach towards mental health since last year, while 61% said they feel comfortable addressing mental health illnesses or unmanageable stress with their employer – up 20 percentage points from last year. Bidwells’ head of HR, Hannah Roman, said the Covid crisis has encouraged mental health awareness. “I think Covid has helped move it up the agenda,” she said. “Everyone has been affected in some way or another.” She added that keeping the conversation going around mental health is crucial as we enter next year. Grainger’s Gordon agreed that next year is a critical time for businesses to support the mental wellbeing of employees. She said: “As leaders we must remember the importance of checking in with our employees and going that extra mile to compensate for the lack of coffee machine conversations, to look out for the signs that all is not well, and to create multiple lines of communication and support for those who may need them.” To send feedback, e-mail lucy.alderson@egi.co.uk or tweet @LucyAJourno or @estatesgazette