Covid hits Australian mental health

SYDNEY: More Australian workers are mentally struggling for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, new research has found.

Three in five Australian workers experienced a mental health condition this year and many struggled for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research.

A survey of more than 10,000 Australian workers found the number of workers who reported experiencing a mental health condition in 2020 rose by 9 percentage points.

The study, Australia's largest on workplace mental health, also found over a quarter of those who experienced ill mental health did so for the first time during the pandemic.

National mental health organisation SuperFriend's Indicators of a Thriving Workplace report found productivity was lower for many respondents, more were extremely stressed at work, and more were hesitant to change jobs even if they hated them. — AAP