Workplace Mental Health: Let's Talk about the Elephant in the Room
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 adults in the USA have self-reported mental illness. The true figure, especially in times like these when stress levels are at an all-time high, is probably even higher. A poll by Lyra Health and the National Alliance showed that 80% of workers were experiencing mental health issues during the early months of the pandemic, and 7 out of 10 employees in a Ginger survey indicated that the pandemic was the most stressful time of their professional career so far.
According to the World Economic Forum, every dollar of investment into resources that support mental health, companies see a $4 return. So, if you aren’t already considering devoting time and money in to your employees’ mental wellbeing, now is the time.
How is Mental Health Defined?
The World Health Organization (2007) defines mental health as: a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.
This definition encompasses a lot - but can be boiled down to an employee’s psychological wellbeing within a shared workplace environment, be it virtual or in-person.
The Future of Mental Health in the Workplace
Mental health is a common barrier to productivity and success. The good news is that people are starting to realize this, and there has been more attention on mental health in the workplace in recent years. Most companies already have some sort of mental health support system in place, but many are severely lacking in effectiveness.
Mental health support isn’t a box ticking exercise anymore - companies can’t get away with linking to a few blogs or providing a couple of therapy sessions and calling it a day. You need to be thinking purposefully about how you tackle this issue.
Mental Health and The Workplace: Why You Should Care
It is important to care about mental health because it can affect your productivity, creativity, and your relationships with others. But there is also a moral duty that you have to your workers. You wouldn’t allow physical harm to occur at work - that is why health and safety, personal protective equipment, and workers compensation exists. The same should thought process should apply to mental health. The workplace should be a place that supports the mental health of its employees.
Creating Your Mental Health Plans
Analysis
As I have often mentioned on this blog, you cannot change what you do not measure. Whether it is something that is easily measurable like revenue, or something like employee experience which is much harder (though equally as important) to analyze, you have to examine how you are currently doing things. And whenever you measure something, it is best to approach it from a data-driven perspective.
List out any and all ways in which you are currently supporting employees’ mental health, and everything that you could improve. The Journal of Occupational Medicine published a paper which highlighted this approach of “analysis”, by creating a scorecard approach. This scorecard gives points for different programs or benefits, such as Employee Assistant Plans and a flexible working environment. Compare your list with this scorecard and think about the ways in which you are having positive and negative effects on employee mental health.
Communication
The average person has a hard time talking about their mental health. This is because we have a stigma that people who are not mentally well are dangerous. Mental illness does not discriminate and it can affect anyone of any age, education, or background. The only way to make progress in removing the stigma of mental illness is to talk about it from different perspectives.
One of the best ways to start to tackle mental health in the workplace is to create an environment in which people can talk freely and openly about the struggles that they are having. This doesn’t have to mean everyone talking about their issues in a trust circle - but makes sure that your employees have someone in the company that they can come to whenever they are experiencing mental health issues or stress.
By making it known that you, as an employer, have empathy and understanding when it comes to mental health, you can create an environment where mental health can be brought into the open and dealt with. Talking to your employees about mental health may even give you even more data to go on – surveys which allow anonymity to give people a more comfortable environment in which to provide feedback are invaluable.
Action
Talking about mental health is just the first step in creating a plan - you also need resources. It’s worth noting here that no job comes without some stress - we live in a world that is full of surprises and pressures, and there is naturally going to be pain points in any work environment. Creating an employee mental health program isn’t about eliminating these entirely - it is about creating a place in which the mental health of an employee is considered and helped as much as possible.
Choosing the right resources and altering your company culture to allow employees to deal with psychological stresses is different for each and every company. Programs like health risk appraisals and volunteerism support are great for some companies, but may not fit others - so make sure that when you are tailoring your program for your employees, rather than making them fit to a “perfect” solution.
The Answer Isn’t The Same for Everyone
We are getting better at talking about mental well-being and psychological stress - but we still have a long way to go. Your workers are going through some of the most stressful times in their professional career at the moment. You have a moral duty and an economic incentive to help them.
Examine how your employees are being affected by your policies, programs, and company culture - and start making changes today.
Uncharted Way can help with measuring and improving the employee experience at your organization. We have a three-step process that puts an emphasis on data and actionable strategies to help you create the company culture that works for you and your bottom line. Schedule a 15-minute introductory call today.
Meridith Marshall is the CEO and Founder of Uncharted Way and has seen firsthand how people and organizations can navigate the most difficult of circumstances with clarity and openness to improve employee experience and culture in their workplace. She is an industry-recognized expert in using a data-driven approach, and is an Interaction Associates trained facilitator and certified Co-Active coach.