Consequences of the pandemic on the psychological health of the entrepreneur: can public support avoid the worst?
The Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on SMEs, triggering the launch of a variety of government programs, including financial assistance, wage subsidies and payment deferrals. In addition to affecting business operations and survival, the severe turbulence and uncertainty about the future can affect the stress experienced by entrepreneurs and consequently the quality of their sleep, their well-being and their resilience. Do government supports have a positive effect on these indicators of entrepreneurs’ psychological health? To answer this question, we conducted a survey of 636 Canadian entrepreneurs accross all sectors between June and July 2020. The results support the idea that the measures, by reducing the negative effects of the crisis on SMEs, could have a positive effect on the health of entrepreneurs. Through this study, we contribute to understanding the dynamics of government interventions with SMEs and, in particular, its effects on indicators related to the psychological health of entrepreneurs such as sleep, well-being and retention in this career.