Questing with Anxiety, Depression, and Crunch

In this episode, we delve into the often-overlooked issue of mental health in the video game industry. Despite popular assumptions, working in video games isn't as stress-free as it may seem. With an estimated 290,000 people employed in the industry globally, studies show that a concerning number of employees exhibit symptoms of anxiety and depression. Join us as we explore the causes of this issue and discuss practical steps we can take to improve mental health in the video game industry.

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Transcript

The gaming industry has billions of people around the world engaging in a plethora of stories and experiences. When most folks think about working in gaming, they imagine a group of geeks playing video games all day. While the group is proud to be referred to as geeks, working in video games isn't as stress-free as it sounds; according to a 2021 report by Newzoo, an estimated 290,000 people were employed in the video game industry globally in 2020. This includes employees in game development, publishing, esports, and supportive fields such as marketing, finance, and human resources. The industry's rapid growth has brought to light some serious concerns regarding employees' mental health.

Research has shown that employees often work long hours under stressful conditions and with high levels of job insecurity. A 2020 study by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) found that 45% of game developers were subjected to crunch conditions, defined as working more than 60 hours per week for an extended time. Working under crunch has been connected to poor mental health, such as stress, burnout, and anxiety. Furthermore, IGDA found that 32% of those in the industry exhibited anxiety symptoms, and 26% had signs of depression, considerably higher than the general population's estimates of 18% for anxiety and 10% for depression.

So, what can we do to address mental health and support the welfare of employees and ourselves? (If you are responsible for people at any level within an organization, consider these areas where your voice needs to be used to advocate for those who can't do it for themselves; okay, let's get into it.) 

Enhancing Work-life Balance is Critical

Prioritizing work-life balance is more important than ever. As leaders, we are responsible for creating space for our employees to prioritize their mental and physical health.

One way to do this is by providing mental health days and encouraging employees to take breaks throughout the day. When planning overtime meals, provide varied options rather than defaulting to pizza. One surefire way to eat away at work-life balance is responding to work outside of working hours, release the expectation for yourself and for your employees. Trust me when I say that overtime is not a good measure of passion. By modeling good behaviors ourselves, we can create a culture where work-life balance is valued and prioritized.

As employees, it's crucial to take advantage of the breaks provided and to figure out how to take more micro-pauses throughout the day. This means leaving your desk, taking a deep breath, and engaging in self-care activities such as going for a stroll, listening to music, or playing a video game.

In addition to taking breaks (and as stated before), it's also important to set boundaries between work and private life. This can include but is not limited to, not checking work email outside of work hours, not working on days off, and prioritizing activities outside of work that promote mental and physical well-being.

Enhancing work-life balance is critical, and when it is prioritized, we can improve mental health and reduce stress and burnout. As leaders and employees, it's up to us to take action and make work-life balance a priority.

Address Workplace Stress

Workplace stress has become a significant concern across multiple industries. As leaders, it's our responsibility to recognize and address the triggers of workplace stress and provide our employees with the resources they need to manage the stress and build resilience.

One way to address it is by identifying and tackling the factors that contribute to stress, such as impractical deadlines or intense workloads. By providing mental health resources such as an employee assistance program (EAP), counseling services, and mental health coaching, we can ensure that our employees have access to the support they need. We can also work to create a culture of open communication where employees feel safe talking about mental health issues with managers and co-workers.

As employees, it's important to cultivate stress management methods such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or exercise and to reach out to friends, family members, support groups, or mental health specialists when needed. Maintaining your executive function during times of high stress is vital by finding ways to ensure that you can make progress and avoid the cycle of procrastination. Everyone has their own processes that work; find yours. 

Working together to reduce stressors and build resilience can lead to a supportive and positive workplace for everyone. (If you didn't know, playing games with your co-workers is a colossal serotonin boost and stress reliever; check out the 2018 study published in the Games for Health Journal.) In the end, to make any changes to the amount of stress in the workplace, we must let go of the notion that overtime equals passion. 

Encourage a Healthy and Helpful Work Culture

Prioritizing a healthy and helpful work culture should be a top focus. As leaders, it's important to recognize the effects of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. We can create a safe and supportive environment for all employees by attending to and resolving discrimination and harassment promptly and competently, uplifting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and honoring accomplishments and celebrating the dedication and successes of our employees.

Diversity and inclusion has many benefits for the gaming industry, including the ability to reach a wider audience and create games more representative of our diverse world. Studies have shown that diverse teams are more creative and innovative - overall, that is a win-win. Furthermore, diversity and inclusion can lead to a more positive and engaged workforce. By valuing and respecting employees' unique perspectives and experiences, we can create a culture of empowerment and inclusion that fosters a sense of belonging and engagement. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Companies in the gaming industry, no matter how big or small, need to take concrete steps to promote diversity and inclusion. This can include hiring practices that prioritize diversity, providing training and education on diversity and inclusion topics, and creating a culture of openness and respect. The benefits of diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry are clear. Promoting diversity and inclusion can create a more innovative and vibrant sector, reduce stress, improve mental health, and foster a positive and engaged workforce. 

As employees, we can promote a healthy and beneficial work culture by being aware of our own internal biases and creating space for others to speak. We can be honest and find ways to express ourselves, even if it's not in a meeting. Additionally, It's important to be helpful and speak up if we or others need help. 

We must take action and create a more diverse and inclusive gaming industry; I am speaking to everyone here, this is all up to us. 

In conclusion, gaming is a rapidly growing industry with serious employee mental health issues. With a substantially higher population diagnosed with anxiety and depression, it is an epidemic we must all work together to resolve. To address these concerns, enhancing work-life balance, addressing workplace stress, and encouraging a healthy and helpful work culture are critical. As leaders and employees, we must take action to create a more diverse and inclusive gaming industry for everyone. Doing so can improve mental health, reduce stress and burnout, and create a more positive and productive work environment - and we can get back to making and playing video games.