Technology industry and mental health

Mental health in the tech industry is at crisis point, with IT staff reporting high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Tech talent is particularly at risk. We look at how Ceiba works to combat this issue and is leading the charge to respond.

The sad truth behind the shortage of tech industry talent

Much is made of the shortage of talent in the tech industry, which is under huge pressure thanks to the demands of today’s digital transformation.

It’s true that there is a global shortfall of software engineers and other specialists, whose skills are needed to help businesses press ahead in challenging times.

This shortfall has been exacerbated by the global shift to digital, which happened faster than anyone expected, and the fact that so many software developers are self-taught, mastering coding languages, tools, and frameworks without formal training.

Traditional hiring techniques are therefore redundant, and many companies have struggled to attract, select, hire, and retain the tech talent they require.

Sadly, there is another reason for the global lack of skilled software specialists.

Burnout is rife in the IT industry, with vast numbers of tech workers struggling with mental health challenges that include stress, anxiety, and depression.

Here we consider how companies can respond to this emergency, and how Ceiba is leading the charge to improve mental health awareness in the tech industry.

Has mental health in the tech industry reached a crisis point?

High numbers of tech workers have mental health conditions

Research on mental health in the tech industry does not make for pleasant reading, with estimates suggesting over half of tech professionals have been formally diagnosed with mental health conditions.

This includes anxiety and depression and, in some cases, people working in tech are five times more depressed than the national average, with respondents specifically stating that they are stressed out by their work.

Symptoms of stress include headaches, anxiety attacks, sleeplessness, indigestion and continual tiredness, with IT workers describing themselves as “constantly stressed”.

The anxiety and depression they experience manifests itself in fatigue, sadness, pessimism, loss of interest and feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness.

Staff working in business ops, web design and development, project management and admin are particularly at risk, one report found.

It’s no wonder that some suggest mental health in the tech industry is now at crisis point and the industry needs to discover how to work on mental health.

You may also be interested in: Embracing the burnout of staff turnover

Some employees in the IT industry are worse affected

Specific groups within the tech industry are more likely to suffer from stress, the report found, with those who already have a long-term health impairment among the most at risk.

Recent sufferers of depression and anxiety, women, 18 to 34-year-olds, bisexuals and those who self-describe their sexuality, as well as returning parents, are also groups that reported significantly higher levels of stress.

One group that is particularly well represented within the tech industry is staff who are neurodivergent, with one IT consultants’ firm reporting that two thirds of its staff are autistic.

Neurodivergent is the term generally used by people whose mental or neurological function differs from what is considered typical, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome and dyscalculia.

Neurotypical is the term used for non-neurodivergent people, i.e. staff who don’t identify as having any of the above conditions.

The report also found that anxiety and depression is significantly higher among neurodivergent workers in the IT industry, than among those considered neurotypical.

Why is mental health in the tech industry such a problem?

There are many reasons why the IT industry is particularly prone to stress.

The first is the speed at which the tech industry has expanded, as digital products become an essential part of every business enterprise. This has led to the IT workforce to be composed of younger workers, when compared to other industries.

Younger workforces are more likely to accept demanding work environments and the kind of ‘long hours cultures’ that lead to burnout and a poor work-life balance.

Neurodivergent staff also tend to choose roles in which their neurodivergence helps them excel, such as software developers and coders who exhibit exceptional levels of concentration, focus and creativity.

These workers can, however, struggle in other aspects of the workplace, such as expectations around socializing and communication.

Some areas of the tech industry are rife with tight deadlines, abnormal working hours and impossible expectations – all of which cause the kind of stress that makes it difficult for people to sleep, rest and digest their food, which in turn leads to other conditions.

How is Ceiba fighting for mental health improvement?

At Ceiba, we put humanity above everything else, and support every single one of our employees and their families – from our receptionists and cleaning teams to our designers and developers.

Although we always focus on adding value, committed to being an attractive company where our employees learn and thrive on solving great technical challenges, we ensure our staff understand that their human value is the most important.

Our talent strategy management team generates personalized and detailed employee development plans, seeking diversity and inclusion and ensuring an active and permanent communication with every team leader.

Ceiba makes a point of listening to its employees and offering guidance that is not just limited to the scope of their professional careers, but their lives generally.

We have tools that allow us to identify, through a six-monthly assessment, any need for mental, emotional, social, physical or occupational care support. We carry out this support on a case-by-case basis and have external alliances with interdisciplinary health teams that accompany each of our processes.

As a result, we have a much lower staff turnover than other companies in the industry, averaging just 2.23% in the past four years and dipping down to 1.69% in 2022.

We were proud and delighted when our employees double certified Ceiba as a great place to work, following a staff survey.

What can other tech companies do to help?

There are many ways in which IT companies can join us in responding to this mental health crisis and improve how they are manage employees with anxiety.

Mental health support should always be available. Staff need to feel that they work in a place conducive to their mental health, where they are included, supported and understood.

Trained mental health workers or therapists can hold drop-in sessions, and companies can link with mental health charities that offer professional help. Evidence shows that mental health apps can have a positive impact too.

It’s essential to reduce the stigma around mental health conditions, so employees feel comfortable discussing their concerns with a manager and don’t panic about having a mental health day off work.

Leaders need to be trained to recognize the signs of stress and burnout and should be in constant communication with staff as well as equipped to offer the appropriate resources and support designed to improve mental health at work.

Tech companies should also be committed to changing their working cultures, especially when issues such as tight deadlines, unusual hours and high expectations are proven to be at fault.