Written by Dan Gordy
If there was a big red bell that could ring the alarm about employee health, we should all ring it. More than one in five adults live with a mental illness. For young people aged 18-25 who are ready for work or have just started working, the percentage is even higher – one in three.
What’s worse, people aren’t getting the help they need. Data from the National Institutes of Health shows that fewer than half of people facing hardship receive care. If these numbers were accurate regarding physical health, we would be rushing to build wellness platforms for our employees because insurance premiums would be so high.
But this crisis is not physical, but spiritual.
It is a problem that has been ignored for decades.We need to normalize conversations around mental health and make this topic more acceptable and Treatment is available. At a recent Grand Rapids Economic Club luncheon, Rebecca Ryan listed “normalizing mental health” as one of her top 10 business trends for the next decade. This is a business trend, not a community or nonprofit trend.
As leaders, we must value our responsibilities and invest in the future of our people.
According to the Meadows Policy Institute, depression costs U.S. employers approximately $187.8 billion annually, including $134 billion in medical costs, $20.9 billion in absenteeism, and $32.9 billion in lost productivity. ing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that untreated mental health can cost businesses $105 billion nationwide.
Let’s look at employee health in development. According to the CDC, 36.7% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 had persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 18.8% seriously considered attempting suicide.
Additionally, there are approximately 10,000 children in Michigan’s child welfare system whose trauma and resulting mental health issues are negatively impacting their future earning potential, quality of life, and more. Masu.
mental health. trauma. abuse. forget. It affects us all. Think of mental health as an investment rather than a social cost. We can actively work to improve our perspectives, personal development, and partnerships.
perspective
We must raise awareness of mental health and create an open and accepting workplace. It starts with showing more empathy when employees are struggling and insisting that mental health days are just as important as sick days. Employee mental health can be a competitive business strategy. Peter Drucker said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” suggesting that an organization’s strategy cannot be successful without a healthy workplace culture. And based on everything we see, we can’t build a healthy culture if we don’t embrace the mental health of our employees.
Self-enlightenment
Leaders without self-awareness can do more harm than good. I believe all CEOs should participate in counseling or hire an executive coach to develop their mental health capabilities. Leaders who engage in self-development are more emotionally intelligent, ask better questions, and work toward more thoughtful and positive solutions. Self-aware leaders drive a culture of wellness and help their organizations continue to grow and evolve.
partnership
Our community connections must be as fluid and flexible as the ones we hope to serve. Everyone is unique and we cannot expect to address complex mental health needs with siled approaches. Mental health professionals, schools, and businesses can all benefit by working together, finding common ground, and co-creating innovative solutions to complex multigenerational problems. For children in the child welfare system, business partnerships for training and placements should be considered to better support the development of young people who have few natural supports. Events like Wedgwood’s State of the Child allow business and community leaders to join the conversation, raise awareness, and become stronger advocates for children and families.
We all have the opportunity to support the physical and mental health of today’s employees, as well as those of tomorrow.
Edited by Dan Gowdy Dr. Gowdy is president and CEO of Wedgwood Christian Services, a nonprofit organization in Kentwood.
