Workers are taking extended breaks from their jobs at higher rates today than before the pandemic.
The share of workers taking leaves of absence overall increased by 30% between 2019 and 2024, with a 300% jump for mental health leave alone, according to a new analysis from ComPsych, the employee behavioral health and absence management services provider.
Ongoing international conflicts, civil unrest, a volatile economy and political polarization are all likely reasons why mental health leaves are up “so tremendously,” Jennifer Birdsall, ComPsych’s chief clinical officer, tells CNBC Make It.
Plus, the Covid-19 pandemic brought on larger conversations about mental health, which both reduced the stigma of seeking support, and encouraged people to learn about their options and resources through work, Birdsall says. A majority of large businesses made new investments in employee mental health benefits in the years following the pandemic, though some recent reports show workers feel their workplace’s mental health support has waned since the pandemic.
The increase in leaves of absence have stabilized in recent years and signal a “new normal” in the prevalence of people pausing their careers, ComPsych CEO Paul Posey said in a release. For example, mental health leaves increased 33% in 2023 compared to the year prior but remained stable in 2024.
