090: Broker Mental Health in 2022 with Adrian Saunders - Ecclesiastical

<p>What can colleagues do to support one another’s mental wellbeing? Are broking businesses’ mental health provisions somehow missing the mark?</p> <p>Last year, we released an episode featuring Ecclesiastical Insurance’s Adrian Saunders, in which he explained the results of the firm’s annual broker wellbeing survey. In this episode, Adrian returns to discuss the results of 2022’s survey, in conversation with Boston Tullis’ Sarah Myerscough! He examines the trends that have emerged through the data across the past five years of Ecclesiastical’s survey, and their implications for mental wellbeing provisions in brokerages across the country.</p> <p> </p> <p>Quote of the Episode</p> <p>“We're all talking about mental wellbeing more. We're all providing more support; there is more openness. We recognise it more. And the survey says we recognise it more. But the survey [also] says we're all getting more stressed. Why are we increasingly reluctant to talk about it?”</p> <p>This highlights a significant apparent contradiction in the survey results which Adrian picks up on throughout the episode. Despite huge strides in discussions of mental wellbeing in the workplace, and increased availability of resources and support, the reported level of stress amongst brokers is skyrocketing. Is the stress of the various socioeconomic calamities of recent years simply overriding these avenues for discussion and support? Or could these provisions be improved to some degree?</p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> <p>The results of Ecclesiastical’s annual broker wellbeing survey are characterised by this central contradiction – while mental health support in the workplace has never been better, brokers are feeling more anxious and stressed than ever before. The top three causes of this stress, according to the data, are:</p> <ol><li>Workload – this is arguably driven by the sense of uncertainty that accompanies engaging with clients, who require advice and support in making decisions about what to insure, and on which level.</li> <li>Regulation – b