More than half of respondents to an Alliance survey reported that the mental health and well-being of people in their organisation has deteriorated since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

This is one of the key findings of Alliance’s annual survey, published today ahead of Alliance’s new issue on health philanthropy, which looked at the impact of the pandemic on the philanthropy sector.

The survey, which collected 250 responses from philanthropy professionals and practitioners in 59 countries, also highlighted more appetite for collaboration, a greater willingness to provide unrestricted funding and a view that the Covid-19 pandemic has made philanthropy more relevant than ever to addressing society’s problems.

But it is the concerns about the mental health toll that may be of particular concern to sector leaders. when asked whether ‘the mental health and well-being of people in your organisation has become worse, stayed the same or improved’ since the onset of Covid-19, a remarkable fifty-eight per cent of respondents reported a decline in mental health.

‘It is certainly the case that employees are under an unsustainable amount of pressure’, noted one respondent.

In a comment to Alliance after reviewing the survey findings, the Center for Effective Philanthropy President Phil Buchanan said: ‘The mental health challenges related to the anxiety, grief, and uncertainty of the pandemic and related crises are huge and deserve the attention of every organisational leader. It’s important for leaders to create spaces for staff to connect and share worries, to continually remind staff of resources for those who need professional help, and to acknowledge the challenges by being vulnerable themselves. Finally, it’s crucial to pay special attention to those who may be especially impacted by the crises of 2020, including staff of colour, parents, those caring for elderly family, those who are immunocompromised, and the list goes on. If ever there was a time for leaders and managers to offer flexibility and show people compassion, it is now.’

Read the full article about mental health issues in philanthropy at Alliance Magazine.