The automotive service and parts industry is one of the worst-performing industries for overall mental health.
According to a 2019 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., workers in automotive services were more likely to be deemed a suicide risk.
A U.K. wellness organization, Ben: Support for Life, found that three in five employees have experienced mental health issues that affect their work. Those problems were only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the start of 2022, LifeWorks (now Telus Health) reported that those who work in the automotive industry saw one of the steepest month-over-month declines in mental health.
Automotive industry employees reported a score of -8.1 in January 2022 when asked about their mental health levels. That was down further from -5.3 in December 2021. The drop of 2.8 points was tied with those in the transportation and warehousing industry, and only better than accommodation and food services, which saw a five-point drop. Services listed as “other” dropped 3.9 points.
One year later, things were trending in the right direction. The industry has the third-highest score on LifeWorks’ list, trailing only real estate, rental and leasing and management of companies and enterprises. It sat at a score of 69.9, up seven points from the month before, the biggest jump out of all industries, which averaged 64.6.
The report also found that respondents over the age of 50 are two-and-a-half times more likely than respondents under 40 to be most concerned about their physical health and well-being, while also being more than two times more likely to be most concerned about their mental health and well-being.
But that doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows. Issues are still prevalent. The Ben study showed that men are far more likely to suffer in silence than women, with nearly a third of men admitting they hadn’t sought help despite feeling extreme pressure.
In a male-dominated industry, it’s hard to cut through the stigma and open the conversation around mental health, but it’s important work. With staffing shortages and ever-more pressure on businesses and employees to keep up, mental health needs to be a key focus for automotive services and retailers, observed Diane Freeman, president of the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers Association of Ontario (AARO).
“I think during those years there was a lot of anxiety within the workplace, especially when it came to the families and home life. How do you balance that need to go to work with the need to protect your loved ones at home?”
The industry can’t rely on workers to raise these issues.
“We don’t hear a lot about those needs in our industry. People tend to keep it more to themselves, which I think is slowly starting to change but we have a long way to go,” she told Jobber News. “It’s a very male-dominated industry and a lot of men don’t like to discuss what’s going on with them personally, or their feelings. So we tend not to see a lot of sharing. It’s much more of a personal thing.”
John Holmes was previously an honorary board member of the mental health support network, Serendipity Group. He also owned and operated a NAPA Auto Parts store for 20 years. Holmes had a dramatic and life-altering encounter with mental health during the pandemic and knows better than most how these issues can affect employees and business owners.
“I had a breakdown,” Holmes admitted. “On June 10, 2021, I went for a drive and I couldn’t go home.”
That sparked a period of intense work for Holmes. Going through it, he got to see firsthand the way that opening these conversations early can positively impact businesses. Employers should be working to help support mental health in the workplace, he urged.
“You’ve got to keep something like this in your toolbox as an employer. Even if an employee is having an issue at home, that affects their performance at work,” he said in an interview. “But also in today’s world of finding people, you want to support your employees and help them.”
Freeman agreed and pointed to the connection between workplace health and safety obligations and mental health support.
“I’m the chair of [the] health and safety committee for vehicle sales and service at AARO, and that’s one of the top issues we’re working on right now is mental health within the workplace,” she said.
“We have health and safety supports within our organization that we offer to our membership, so anyone with anything related to health issues can contact us and we can put them in touch with the right individuals or whoever they might need.”
“I say don’t be afraid to pay for it because it’s an investment in your future and your business. We should all be concerned about retention.”
Employer responsibility
Freeman says mental health is an extension of health and safety, especially post-COVID.
“I think during those years there was a lot of anxiety within the workplace, especially when it came to the families and home life. How do you balance that need to go to work with the need to protect your loved ones at home?” she said.
“So during that time, we saw a lot more employers contacting our association with these issues and asking us for support.”
It’s important employees understand not only the resources available to them but feel confident that their privacy is respected when they do, Freeman added.
“I think we have a long way to go within our industry on mental health and also sharing with the employees what support there is available,” she said.
Holmes agreed, adding that it’s hard for some small business owners to know what to do.
“I think mental health and health and safety are definitely connected,” Holmes said. “One hundred per cent there’s a responsibility for employers.”
That Ben study also put the cost of mental health issues in the workplace in the UK at 1.2 billion euros annually. According to Holmes, there’s no doubt that lost productivity and downtime, the loss of staff, and poor performance due to stress or anxiety has an impact on the health of this sector.
He doesn’t deny that it takes resources and money to pay for mental health support, but still thinks it’s important for business owners to address it.
“I say don’t be afraid to pay for it because it’s an investment in your future and your business,” Holmes said. “We should all be concerned about retention. I have business owners tell me daily how hard it is to get people. It’s dramatic. Every door you push open has a ‘help wanted’ sign so you really want to take care of the people you have got.”
The industry agrees, which is why Freeman pointed out that there are more resources and tools coming to its members. There have been so many changes in the automotive aftermarket over the past few decades, from more women entering to a bigger focus on workplace behaviour.
“I think mental health is one of those changes,” she explained.
“It’s something we haven’t addressed in the past, and now we are … You’re going to see a lot more work over the next few years around mental health, and what we need to do as employers and employees to put those supports in place. Our role is to help our members and our industry and put them in touch with the right resources for mental health or any other workplace health and safety issue.”
“You’re going to see a lot more work over the next few years around mental health, and what we need to do as employers and employees to put those supports in place.”
Support
The need for more practical tips is something Holmes also identified in his journey as he sought to educate more business owners about health supports. As noted, not every small business owner is equipped for this task.
“Big corporations have things in their toolbox but smaller business owners don’t because often they just don’t think of it,” Holmes said. “So we have to make them think of it and educate how important this is for their business.”
His advice to business owners includes opening the conversation with staff in a proactive way, letting them know that the shop has mental health supports in place and taking time to speak with staff about their challenges.
“I think employers should take the time to really talk to their employees. Bring them in, give them a pat on the back, let them know they’re doing a good job,” Holmes said. “Ask them once in a while, ‘How is everything? Is there anything I can do for you?’”
From the AARO perspective, the work is already ramping up. Freeman says the industry as a whole is moving toward a more supportive position.
“We’re going to be sending more mental health supports out to our members with more information, more guides and references,” she said. “We’re going to help educate employers on how to identify potential mental health issues in the workplace.
“That includes training, resources, and whatever supports we can provide. And if we can’t help, we know what direction to point shop owners in.”
Holmes understands the challenges business owners face. After all, he was one for 20 years. But he says mental health issues and support need to be part of a healthy business from day one.
“I think once a business gets to a certain point of profits, they think that’s when they can start worrying about people,” he said. “But I think you have to start worrying about the people now. If you take care of the people the numbers will follow.”
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