It has been clear for some time that the American workforce is not in good shape. Workers have suffered from increased work, economic and health stressors since the pandemic, coupled with cultural and socio-political tensions. Americans as a whole are facing a mental health crisis, and employees are desperately trying to talk about it in the workplace.
Unfortunately for them, their bosses are not properly equipped to have such conversations.
About 74% of U.S. employees feel it should be appropriate to talk about mental health concerns at work, according to a new report from the advocacy group National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Additionally, 75% of employees feel that it is the responsibility of managers, human resources, and senior leadership to create a culture where mental health issues can be discussed.
“This poll clearly shows that today’s workers want their employers to look after their mental health by talking about it, providing training and providing support. “The results show that the number of people living in the United States has increased significantly,” NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., wrote in the article. statement.
But the boss is woefully unprepared for the kind of conversation the employee wants. According to NAMI, 7 out of 10 leaders at manager level and above receive no training on how to facilitate discussions about mental health and support their employees. Additionally, only about half say their company also offers training and resources on wellbeing and mental health. The responsibility for that support often falls on middle managers, who, in addition to being ill-equipped, often suffer from job stress and burnout.
Only 58% of employees said they felt comfortable bringing up mental health issues at work. Even though corporate America is ostensibly aware of the importance of supporting mental health in the workplace, the public says they still feel there is stigma and stigma around talking about mental health in the workplace. ing. According to NAMI, the worker is worried that no one else has talked about it and that his boss and co-workers will look weak on him.
“Mental health has historically been a taboo topic even outside of the workplace,” said Darcy Gruttadaro, chief innovation officer at NAMI. luck. She added that she was surprised by the number of employees willing to talk about mental health at work. She said: “It’s all about how we communicate it. We can work and be productive while at the same time looking after and talking about the mental health of our employees.”
Mental health is not only important for workers on a personal level, but it also has a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. According to a report by NAMI, more than half of employees say they have felt burnt out in the past year. A recent report from British healthcare and life insurance company Vitality found that the average worker feels mentally absent from work, missing out on the equivalent of almost 50 days a year, costing the UK economy around 138 billion yen. sterling, or $176 billion a year. . And the American Psychiatric Association estimates that mental health struggles among American workers cost the economy $210.5 billion annually.
So what should leaders and organizations do? According to the American Psychological Association, even a little training can go a long way. Research shows that just three hours of mental health awareness training can improve attitudes towards mental health discussions in the workplace. Educating managers and leaders can also help create a culture more in tune with work-life balance while promoting a space that destigmatizes mental health.
Companies can also invest in listening to their employees through surveys and town halls and using that feedback to improve how they communicate the importance of mental health and the support and resources they provide to employees. can. Finally, according to the APA, giving people flexibility in how and where they work can help improve mental health.
“We are still working to make sure people feel comfortable talking about mental health in the workplace,” Gruttadaro said. “The next question is how do we operationalize it? How do we meet business requirements while still benefiting our employees?”
