One-in-five IT pros 'affected by mental health concerns' due to work pressures

Rate of mental health concerns three times higher in 'unsupportive' companies, according to survey by recruiter Harvey Nash

Half of IT pros in the UK are concerned about the state of their mental health, while one-in-five IT pros claim they are currently affected by mental health concerns due to the pressures of work.

And workers in ‘unsupportive' companies are almost three times more likely to have mental health concerns than IT pros in more supportive organisations.

That's according to the latest Harvey Nash Tech Survey, released today to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

And the biggest cause of stress across IT departments is staff shortages, largely driven by ongoing skills shortages. The survey also highlights long hours as a key source of mental health problems, with the tipping point at around 50 hours a week, according to the recruitment firm.

It added that, according to its survey of just over 2,000 tech professionals, workers are most likely to be currently affected by mental health concerns if they:

Work 60+ hours per week (21 per cent);
Work in IT operations (20 per cent);
Work for a very small company (17 per cent);
Work in retail or leisure (22 per cent).

However, pay remains the number one concern of IT pros when looking for a new new job, at 59 per cent, followed a long way behind by work/life balance at 40 per cent and flexible working at 30 per cent. And despite the high rates of stress and mental ill-health, 60 per cent of the respondents claimed to be happy in their work, with just 17 per cent declaring themselves unhappy.

Harvey Nash CEO Albert Ellis claimed that, despite the many challenges organisations today face, "they still need to look very closely at how they provide support to those members of the tech team that feel overwhelmed by their mounting work load and associated pressures".

Future pressures that many IT pros will face, added Ellis, is the possibility of IT roles become automated - one-third of IT pros believe their job will be significantly affected by automation in the next decade - and the fungibility of IT skills, with IT pros challenged to keep their skills up to date.

"Keeping up with new tech is a tough game and, as technology evolves, so do the skills required to be successful. In fact, three-in-10 tech professionals expect their current skills to be out of date within three years, rising to over six in ten in six years. Testers and Operations feel the most pressure to keep their skills up to date," suggested the report.

Furthermore, IT staff expect greater casualisation in the future, with 43 per cent suggesting that technology jobs will increasingly go freelance.