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Global Study: C-Suite execs experienced more mental health challenges than their employees in wake of global pandemic

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5 years ago

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• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted workers differently depending on their seniority, generation, and location

• C-Suite execs had a harder time adapting to virtual work than their employees

• Gen Z and Millennials workers are feeling the most burned out

• Employees in India, UAE, China and US struggled the most with mental health at work 

Mental health challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted workers differently depending on their seniority, generation, and location according to a new report by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, a HR research and advisory firm. The study of more than 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders and C-Suite executive across 11 countries, found that

C-suite executives struggled to adapt more than their employees, younger generations experienced the most burnout, and that India, UAE, China and the U.S. had the most workers reporting the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health.

C-level executives have struggled the most with adapting to remote work realities and report they are suffering from mental health issues more than their employees, but they are also the most open to finding help in AI.

• C-Suite execs (53 percent) have struggled with mental health issues in the workplace more than their employees (45 percent).

• C-Suite execs also had the hardest time adapting to virtual lifestyles with 85 percent reporting significant remote work challenges including collaborating with teams virtually (39 percent), managing increased stress and anxiety (35 percent), and lacking workplace culture (34 percent).

• C-Suite execs were also 29 percent more likely to experience difficulties learning new technologies for remote work than employees; once they adjusted to the new normal, C-Suite execs were 26 percent more likely to find increased productivity than employees

• C-Suite execs are the most open to using AI for help with mental health: 73 percent would prefer to talk to a robot (i.e. chatbots and digital assistants) about their mental health over a human compared to 61 percent of employees.

• C-Suite execs are 23 percent more likely to see AI benefits than employees; 80 percent of C-Suite leaders noted AI has already helped their mental health at work.

Gen Z and Millennials are Hustlin’ Harder, Suffering More, and Seeking AI Relief

Younger workers are feeling the most burnout due to the mental health effects of the pandemic and are more open to asking AI for relief.

• Gen Z is more likely to be negatively impacted by the pandemic than any other generation. Nearly 90 percent of Gen Z workers said COVID-19 has negatively impacted their mental health and 94 percent noted workplace stress impacts their home life as well.

• Gen Z workers are 2X more likely than Baby Boomers to work extra hours during the pandemic, and Millennials are 130 percent more likely to have experienced burnout than Baby Boomers.

• Younger generations are the most likely to turn to robots for support: Gen Z workers are 105% more likely to talk to a robot over their manager about stress and anxiety at work than Baby Boomers. 84 percent of Gen Z and 77 percent of Millennials prefer robots over humans to help with their mental health.

• Gen Z workers are 73 percent more likely than Baby Boomers to benefit from AI at work: 90 percent of Gen Z say AI has helped their mental health at work and 93 percent want their companies to provide technology to support their mental health.

Just like COVID-19, the mental health crisis has impacted people differently across the world. People in India and China are being hit the hardest and are the most open to AI support, while workers in Italy, Germany, and Japan are seeing less of an impact.

• India (89 percent), UAE (86 percent), China (83 percent) and the U.S. (81 percent) had the most workers reporting the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health. Workers in China (43 percent) and India (32 percent) are also the most burned out from overwork as a result of COVID-19.

• Italy reported the lowest number of people experiencing a negative impact on their mental health from the pandemic (65 percent). Workers in Germany were the least likely to report that 2020 was the most stressful year at work ever (52 percent).

• 29 percent of people in Japan say they have not experienced many difficulties at all working remotely or collaborating with teams virtually. In contrast, 96 percent of people in India admit it has been challenging to keep up with the pace of technology at work.

• People in China (97 percent) and India (92 percent) are the most open to having a robot as a therapist or counselor. People in France (68 percent) and the UK (69 percent) were the most hesitant.

• People in India and China are 33 percent more likely to talk to a robot than their peers in other countries: 91 percent of Indian workers and 91 percent of Chinese workers would prefer a robot over their manager to talk about stress and anxiety at work.

Despite seniority, generation and geographic differences, people all over the world agree: The pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of the global workforce—and they want help.

• 78 percent of workers say the pandemic has negatively affected their mental health.

• 76 percent of people believe their company should be doing more to protect their mental health.

• 83 percent would like their company to provide technology to support their mental health.

“Diving deep into the differences between demographic and regional groups highlights the significant impact of the pandemic on the mental health for employees in various age groups, roles and regions,” said Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner, Workplace Intelligence. “Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, companies can use this moment as a catalyst for positive change in their organizations. While the pandemic raised the urgency for companies to start protecting the mental health of their employees, the efforts they put in now will continue to create happier, healthier and more engaged workforces in the decades to come.”

“The pandemic put employee mental health in the global spotlight, but these findings also showed that it created growing support for solutions from employers including technologies like AI,” said Emily He, senior vice president, Oracle Cloud HCM. “The way the pandemic changed our work routines makes burnout, stress and other mental health issues all too easy. Everyone has been affected in different ways and the solutions each company puts in place need to reflect the unique challenges of employees. But overall, these findings demonstrate that implementing technology to improve the mental health of employees needs to be a priority for every business.”

•Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Savanta, Inc. between July 16 – August 4, 2020. For this survey, 12,347 global respondents (from the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, France, Italy, Germany, India, Japan, China, Brazil, and Korea) were asked general questions to explore leadership and employee attitudes around mental health, artificial intelligence technology, digital assistants, chatbots and robots in the workplace. The study targeted people between the ages of 22-years-old and 74-years-old. Respondents were recruited through a number of different mechanisms, via different sources to join the panels and participate in market research surveys. All panellists passed a double opt-in process and completed on average 300 profiling data points prior to taking part in surveys. Respondents were invited to take part via email and were provided with a small monetary incentive for doing so. Results of any sample were subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 0.9 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

 

 


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A Historic Hat-Trick: Home Lands Crowned Best Developer Sri Lanka for Third Consecutive Year, Also Wins Best Lifestyle Developer Asia

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13 hours ago

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2025/12/19

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Home Lands has once again solidified its position as Sri Lanka’s number one and most trusted real estate developer, achieving a historic milestone at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2025, held in Bangkok, Thailand on 12th December 2025. The company was crowned “Best Developer, Sri Lanka” for the third consecutive year, reaffirming its unmatched leadership in the nation’s real estate sector. Adding to the prestige, Home Lands was also honoured with the highly coveted “Best Lifestyle Developer, Asia” award, an extraordinary achievement for any Sri Lankan developer on the global stage.

The prestigious PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector was established in 2005 to recognise the region’s finest real estate. Over the years, the programme has become the most trusted and most sought-after awards platform in Asia. Upholding the highest levels of integrity, the Awards follow a professionally supervised, independent judging system, setting the gold standard for real estate recognition in the region.

In addition to its developer accolades, Home Lands’s landmark projects shone across multiple categories, bringing home several top honours:

  • Best Luxury Condo Development (Colombo) – Pentara Residencies, Thummulla Handiya – “The Address in Colombo”

  • Best Completed Condo Development – Santorini Resort Apartments & Residencies, Negombo

  • Best Waterfront Condo Development – Bayfonte Marina Resort Apartments & Villas, Negombo

  • Best Lifestyle Developer – Home Lands Skyline (Private) Limited

Speaking on yet another historic achievement, Mr. Nalin Herath, Chairman – Home Lands Group, stated:

“Securing the Best Developer title for the third consecutive year, along with being named the Best Lifestyle Developer in Asia, is a proud moment not just for Home Lands but for Sri Lanka. We sincerely thank our customers for their trust and support, which inspires us to continually raise the bar. These wins reflect our unwavering commitment to building with trust, innovation, and excellence, and we will continue to create exceptional living environments while elevating Sri Lanka’s presence in the international real estate arena.

With over 3,400 residential units delivered and over 2,300 units currently under construction across eight ongoing futuristic mega residential complexes, Home Lands continues to drive the evolution of modern living in Sri Lanka. Beyond developing homes, the company has consistently reshaped the lifestyles of Sri Lankans by introducing globally inspired, amenity-rich, resort-style living experiences.

Among its flagship projects, Canterbury Golf Resort Apartments & Villas stands as a testament to this vision — Sri Lanka’s Largest Residential Development, spanning over 55 acres of land, and the country’s first Victorian-style golf resort apartments and villas. Featuring a signature day & night golf course and an unparalleled collection of lifestyle amenities, this iconic development has redefined modern living standards, setting a new benchmark for integrated, resort-style residential environments in Sri Lanka.

Supported by a fully integrated group of 13 companies, including a CS2-graded construction arm certified by CIDA, Home Lands ensures world-class quality and seamless execution from design to delivery. With a growing global presence and offices in Australia and Dubai, the company continues to strengthen international investor confidence in Sri Lanka’s residential property sector.

According to the latest RIU Brand Health Survey 2025, Home Lands remains the undisputed market leader in the country’s real estate industry.

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Unlocking Sri Lanka’s hidden wealth: A $2 billion mineral opportunity awaits

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21 hours ago

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2025/12/19

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Surveys have indicated that minerals such as thorianite and uranium-bearing minerals are present in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka stands on the brink of an economic transformation, powered not by traditional exports, but by the vast, untapped mineral wealth lying beneath its soil and off its shores. According to a comprehensive new business report launched by the Pathfinder Foundation in collaboration with the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, on 17th December in Colombo, the island’s mineral sector holds a staggering unrealised export potential of up to USD 2 billion.

Currently, Sri Lanka exports most of its high-purity minerals including world-renowned vein graphite, rare earth elements (REEs), and mineral sands in raw or semi-processed form, capturing only a fraction of their true value. The report reveals that while current exports to top destinations total about USD 389 million, the achievable potential is estimated at USD 778 million, with the full downstream value-add opportunity reaching several times that figure.

“Sri Lanka has great potential for exports,” stated Australian High Commissioner Matthew Duckworth at the report’s launch. “It is not only about mining but also about refining – moving up the value chain to get significantly higher export earnings.”

The nation is endowed with critical resources essential for global clean energy and high-tech supply chains. This includes an estimated 5 million tonnes of graphite (with purity up to 99.9%), over 600 million tonnes of mineral sands containing REEs like neodymium, and the massive Eppawala phosphate deposit, which alone holds 60 million tonnes of phosphate-bearing material. Experts believe even these numbers may be conservative due to a lack of island-wide surveys, pointing to major exploration opportunities.

However, realising this potential requires urgent action. The report identifies systemic barriers: a fragmented regulatory framework involving over 18 agencies, slow licensing, infrastructure gaps, and outdated mining methods. These challenges have discouraged investment and prevented value addition.

The path forward is clear. The government is already moving to modernise the approval process via a unified digital platform and is crafting a national critical minerals strategy. The report emphasises that success hinges on attracting foreign expertise and investment, particularly in downstream processing – turning graphite into battery-grade material, refining rare earths, and processing mineral sands domestically.

Australia, with its global leadership in sustainable mining and technology, is positioned as a key partner. Australian METS (Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services) companies can bring advanced technology, ESG-compliant practices, and training, potentially reducing operational costs by 30-40% while improving recovery rates.

“For Sri Lanka, the stakes are high. Developing a modern, sustainable mineral sector can diversify the economy, create high-value jobs, build resilience, and integrate the nation into strategic global supply chains,” the Australian High Commissioner noted. The message from the report is one of urgent optimism: the resources are here, the international partners are ready, and the roadmap is laid out. Now is the time for policymakers, investors, and stakeholders to come together to unlock this buried treasure for the benefit of all Sri Lankans.

By Sanath Nanayakkare

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Environmental damage now a direct threat to telecom operations, SLT chief warns at 2026 calendar launch

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21 hours ago

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2025/12/19

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Dignitaries at the launch of the SLT calendar

Environmental destruction is no longer an abstract environmental concern but a direct business risk, Sri Lanka Telecom/Mobitel Chairman Dr. Mothilal de Silva warned, as the national telecom giant launched its 2026 corporate calendar linking climate change, marine degradation and network stability.

Unveiling the calendar, Dr. de Silva said the initiative was not a ceremonial exercise but a corporate statement on responsibility and survival. “Today we are not just unveiling a calendar; we are sharing a story — a story of beauty, resilience and profound responsibility,” he said, stressing that environmental protection had become business-integral for SLT.

The 2026 SLT-Mobitel desk and digital calendar takes viewers beneath Sri Lanka’s seas, focusing on the intricate forms of marine shells and clams. Created by renowned artists Pulasthi Ediriweera and Nalin Jayarathna, the artworks portray seashells as both natural marvels of design and lasting symbols of fragile marine life.

“Each shell is a protective home — a permanent memorabilia left by gentle creatures,” Dr. de Silva said. “In their form and pattern, they send us a silent message about their presence and their urgent need for protection.”

Drawing a direct link between ecological degradation and recent climate-related disasters, Dr. de Silva rejected attempts to mask environmental realities. “You cannot cover this up with fake news. The destruction of forests, hill-country ecosystems, tea estates and irresponsible land use has created these calamities,” he said, referring to recent cyclonic events and flooding.

He warned that climate change and rising sea levels were already affecting SLT’s core infrastructure. Sri Lanka’s international connectivity depends on five subsea communication cables landing in Colombo and Matara. “Unusual sea-level rise and abnormal tides have already caused network outages. When the sea is disturbed, it directly affects the quality and reliability of our network,” he said.

Dr. de Silva said SLT and its international consortium partners follow strict environmental safeguards when laying, maintaining and even disposing of subsea cables. These include detailed environmental surveys, route planning to avoid sensitive marine ecosystems and specialised installation techniques. Cable repair operations based in Galle, he added, also adhere to stringent environmental standards.

“Our work is fundamentally about connection — connecting people, businesses and nations. But this connection must be built with care for the environment that hosts it,” he said, noting that sustainability was not merely a corporate social responsibility obligation but essential to business continuity.

Marine naturalist Dr. Malik Fernando, addressing the launch, highlighted Sri Lanka’s rich but inadequately studied seashell diversity. He said several marine and freshwater mollusc species were protected under existing laws, yet continued to appear in markets due to weak enforcement.

Some shells, including cone shells, are highly venomous and capable of causing human fatalities, Dr. Fernando noted, underscoring the risks posed by unregulated collection. While many mollusc species are widely dispersed due to larval movement, he said certain rare species recorded from limited locations could be near-endemic and vulnerable to extinction.

Dr. Fernando also pointed to the broader challenge of biodiversity research, noting that many species remain unidentified due to the lack of systematic field studies, despite improved access to global scientific resources through digital platforms.

In concluding remarks, Dr. de Silva called on the media to play a responsible role in conveying environmental truths to the public and suggested that the calendar be shared internationally, including at future UN climate conferences. “A digitally empowered Sri Lanka must go hand in hand with preserving its natural wonders,” he said. “This calendar is a reminder that protecting the environment is not optional — it is essential for our future.”

By Ifham Nizam

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