By: Mthobisi Nozulela – IOL Business

A study by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) has painted a grim picture, revealing that more than half of South African employees are struggling with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and burnout due to work stress and insecurity.

Based on responses from over 960 participants, the survey found that six in ten workers wished they could afford to quit their jobs, and nearly half reported feeling unhappy at the start of the workweek.

"Work emerged as a consistent stressor for many survey respondents, regardless of their employment sector, which included education, health, NPOS, finance, government, retail and media", the study noted.

The survey also found that 52% of respondents have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, with 32% experiencing depression, 25% clinical stress, 18% anxiety, and 13% burnout.

Nearly 38% of participants reported fearing job loss, while almost one in five said they had been forced to take on the responsibilities of former colleagues, often without additional support as employers opted not to replace staff who had resigned.

SADAG founder Zane Wilson emphasised the urgent need for companies to prioritise mental health in the workplace, calling for proactive efforts to create healthier work environments.

“From the survey, we learn that more needs to be done at companies regarding Mental Health. The integration of innovative programmes to ensure that employees are working in a mentally healthy environment, and more Mental Health education will assist employers with an atmosphere of a more productive workforce," she said.

Following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s recent announcement that the government would scrap the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) increase last month, Andrew Cook, founder of the employee engagement platform HeadsUp, warned that South African businesses are facing a more persistent and costly issue.

"Companies are still quietly haemorrhaging far more through a different kind of tax–one that’s not debated in Parliament, doesn’t make front-page news, but continues to drain productivity and profitability every day: burnout and disengagement," he said.

“Businesses were rightly concerned about the VAT increase, but many are already bleeding far more than that through disengaged employees. Burnout isn’t just a wellness issue anymore – it’s a financial one,” Cook said.

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