Healthcare & Wellbeing
WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE
Technological University, and Ahmed Tohamy of the University of Oxford, conducted one of the first in-depth studies on this topic that uses both objective and subjective markers of psychological distress. To study the human ageing process properly, researchers would naturally and ideally want to follow the same people throughout their lifespan. So we analysed longitudinal data related to approximately half a million men and women of all ages and backgrounds, residing in the some of the world’s richest nations, including the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany, among others. Our findings show that the midlife crisis is a real phenomenon, affecting both men and women between the ages of 45 and 50. Around this age, people tend to experience a peak in a range of indicators of severe distress. This is a troubling paradox. More precisely, we find that midlife is a time when people suffer a litany of distressing symptoms.
lives, have trouble sleeping, be clinically depressed, spend time thinking about suicide, feel life is not worth living, find it hard to concentrate, forget things, feel overwhelmed in their workplace, suffer from disabling headaches, and become dependent on alcohol. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of our findings is that, for many people in developed countries, the midlife is a time marked by peak life-time earnings and professional achievements. In their late 40s and early 50s, people are generally at the top of their career and have achieved financial stability. Moreover, the individuals from our analysed datasets reside in some of the richest societies around the world, which are also known to be considerably safe in terms of crime and more medically equipped. So, one would also expect people living in these countries to be generally more satisfied, yet this does not appear to be true for those at the midpoint in their lives. impact how one feels around midlife, such as having dependant children, getting a divorce, changing jobs,
TO THE CORE
1. Men and women are more likely to experience distress between the ages of 45 and 50, despite reaching the top of their careers and achieving financial stability. 2. Managers should recognise this, especially in candidates for senior positions, and offer the right support. This could include offering staff more time off and mentors, or making changes to their workload to reduce stress levels. 3. Happier workers tend to be more productive, so businesses are likely to reap the rewards of offering more support to staff experiencing a midlife crisis.
P opular media has always painted the midlife crisis in amusing ways, with men in their fifties buying flashy cars, investing heavily in their physical appearances, or abruptly engaging in thrill-seeking activities. To scientifically assess whether the midlife crisis actually exists, I, along with Osea Giuntella of the University of Pittsburgh, Sally McManus of City University of London, Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick’s Economics Department, Nattavudh Powdthavee of Nanyang “Midlife is a time when people suffer a litany of depressing symptoms”
They are disproportionately more likely to take their own
How can firms help employees experiencing a midlife crisis by Redzo Mujcic TO THE CORE
wbs.ac.uk | Warwick Business School
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