Careers Working well Opinium has conducted a survey on the industrys mental wellbeing, providing indicators of how researchers are coping with a challenging year. By Katie McQuater Y ou are not working from home; you are at your home, during a crisis, trying to work. As organisations moved to remote working, guidance issued by a Canadian government agency to its employees was quickly shared on social media networks. Its a distinction to which many will relate. Whether you are a parent juggling childcare with your job, jostling for workspace with housemates, or feeling isolated without the presence of colleagues, working remotely is not without its struggles for mental wellbeing. The good news is that the importance of looking a er our emotional health has risen up the agenda in recent years, with charities, governments and forward-thinking organisations taking the lead. For the second year running, Opinium has conducted a study on mental wellbeing in the market research industry, supported by MRS. The results of the survey of 1,143 UK researchers, sent out by MRS to its database, suggest improvement in peoples openness to discussing mental health and acknowledging issues. More than half (57%) of those who reported experiencing mental health struggles said they had told someone in their workplace about it, compared with more than a third in the first survey conducted in 2019. Last years research found that 40% of respondents said they didnt take time off because they didnt think their mental health issue was a valid reason to do so; however, this year, the figure was lower, at . Additionally, two-thirds (66%) of respondents said they feel their current workplace takes the health and wellbeing of employees seriously an increase from 56% last year. However, the proportion of respondents reporting that they had struggled with their mental wellbeing remains high , compared with in the 2019 research. This research is all the more pertinent in 2020. ith the entering a recession for the first time since the financial crash, and the pandemic forcing an overnight change in the way most businesses operate, the industry is under pressure. ovid is one of the top stressors identified in the research. For 40% of respondents, the impact of the pandemic on the company was one of their key sources of stress at work third a er workload and deadlines. Its a pivotal moment for our industry and society as a whole. Covid-19 has impacted not only the way we live, but our expectations of, and priorities for, the future, says James Endersby, chief executive at Opinium. The study uses the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, a method designed by the University of Warwick with funding from NHS Health Scotland. These scores remained stable this year compared with the 2019 research, despite the pandemic; the overall score among those in the market research industry was 46.1, compared with 46.3 last year. For some in the industry, working from home has been a positive experience. For example, 62% said that not having to commute has improved 54 Impact ISSUE 31 20_pp54-55_Careers.indd 54 18/09/2020 12:00