Mental health issues affecting 1 in 4 automotive industry workers

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, and automotive industry charity, Ben, has launched a new report revealing results from its latest survey, in which over 1 in 4 automotive workers (27%) reported issues managing their mental health. This is compared to 16% of UK workers who said they have issues managing their mental health, showing it’s a bigger issue for people working in the automotive industry.

The survey also found that an overwhelming 99.6% of automotive people have been affected by a health & wellbeing issue over the previous 12 months. Stress remains the most common health & wellbeing issue that automotive employees face, at 56%, followed by poor sleep (51%), feelings of anxiety (43%) and low mood (41%). The results clearly show that mental health issues are the most prominent of the top 10 issues and affect a number of people in the automotive industry.

Furthermore, a total of 7 in 10 respondents said they worry about money and these people are more likely to experience feelings of anxiety, low mood and depression. The number of people worrying about money has increased from the year before (6 in 10), which is most likely caused by cost-of-living pressures. Year on year, debt has increased by 3% (19% to 22%), being unable to budget has increased by 12% (14% to 26%), being unable to save has increased by 5% (31% to 36%) and skipping meals has increased by 6% (10% to 16%).

The survey also revealed that 1 in 7 automotive workers are considering leaving the industry and that pay is the biggest motivator for this (29%). A total of 87% of those considering leaving the industry have had financial issues and 63% are experiencing stress at work.

Read report

Read the report of the results here: www.ben.org.uk/surveyreport2024

This was Ben’s biggest survey to date with a record 1,872 automotive employee respondents of all UK regions, ages, gender and working environments. The survey is in its seventh year and aims to uncover the key health and wellbeing issues currently affecting the automotive industry workforce so Ben can continue to provide relevant support now and in the future.

Rachel Clift, Health & Wellbeing Director at Ben, said: “We’re pleased to be launching our latest survey results report to highlight the health and wellbeing issues that our automotive family are facing. Our annual surveys are the ideal opportunity to hear from our automotive family so we can fully understand their struggles and then provide the support they need. We also take it as an opportunity to share these insights with employers and our industry stakeholders so we can all do more to support automotive people and their families.

“Mental health issues are affecting 1 in 4 of our automotive family and we can see that money worries are contributing to this. More people are struggling with cost-of-living pressures, with issues such as skipping meals and debt on the rise. Of course, this is likely to have an impact on their overall health and wellbeing, including both their physical and mental health.”

“On the back of these results, we want to make sure that everyone who works, or has worked, in the automotive industry knows we’re there for them, so please get in touch if you’re struggling by visiting www.ben.org.uk/gethelp. We’re here for employers too and you can read about how Ben can support your business and the health and wellbeing of your employees in the report, or by visiting www.ben.org.uk/business.”

Sign up to receive tips, advice and tools at www.ben.org.uk/signup and, for online mental health support, visit www.ben.org.uk/mentalhealth.