Talking about stress can be just as taxing as experiencing it. Casually mentioning stress in a conversation often leads to a long list of challenges, including missed deadlines, traffic jams, money worries, and other chaotic moments that people weave into their work and personal lives. We use words like “stressed,” “exhausted,” and “burnout” as central narratives in our everyday language. This is a kind of framework for how people view themselves and others.
It’s not that mental health isn’t an important topic. Since 1949, May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness Month. Over his 74 years, many important advances have been made in addressing and treating mental health issues. Advances in technology and science have increased opportunities for care, and medicines have eased the burden on many people in need. But while progress has been impressive, there is still much work to be done to address mental health issues.
“Today, more and more workers are struggling to make ends meet, deal with chronic stress, and balance the demands of both work and personal life,” said Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General. The strain on their mental health is increasing.”
The “sacrifices” Murthy points out are even worse in today’s workplaces. The blurring of boundaries between work and home has sharpened the way we view mental health. After the many crises we have faced, this theme has acquired new importance based on our collective concern for the whole human self.
“Employee health is an important aspect of any business, and if employee mental health isn’t part of the equation, you won’t be able to maintain employee health,” says Co-Founder of The Diversity Movement. explains Caela Sosa, Curriculum and Programming Manager. “Leaders need to assess their own mental health and take steps to educate themselves on this important topic, as poor mental health often leads to lower productivity, absenteeism, and higher turnover.” there is.”
Mental health at your doorstep
Here in North Carolina, you might find it particularly stressful given our reliance on fast-paced, knowledge-driven industries such as technology, advanced medical research, health care, and financial services. However, poor mental health is an epidemic across the country.
Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization that serves the needs of people living with mental illness and promotes the overall mental health of all people, ranks North Carolina 18th in the nation for adults and 24th for youth. Both are at a medium level. in terms of the prevalence of mental illness and rates of access to care. Based on these assessments, states could benefit from dedicating more resources to treatment and care.
More broadly, Mental Health America surveyed 11,000 workers in 17 different industries across the United States and found clearer evidence of a collective mental health crisis. Almost 80% of employees claimed that workplace stress affected their relationships with friends, family, and colleagues. Perhaps even more difficult, the same report found that only 38% of people who knew about their company’s mental health services felt comfortable using them. is.
Tips for navigating conversations about mental health at work
Leaders face two challenges when it comes to mental health. First, as a study by Mental Health America found, people treat this topic like other “invisible illnesses” for fear of being labeled or facing discrimination. I’m nervous about discussing it. Second, the mental health of senior leaders themselves is being studied more closely.
As with many aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, one of the first steps in addressing workplace health is education, followed by communication. Here are his four tips we developed for navigating conversations about mental health in the workplace.
Be careful of your language and attitude – Many terms and phrases that have real-world implications slip into everyday language and can be harmful and misleading. Don’t use carelessly stigmatizing language, such as saying you or someone else has “OCD,” “ADD,” or any other actual mental health problem. The diversity movement believes in the power of inclusive language. Find out more about this in Jackie Ferguson’s book, The Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership, or in his one-hour online course, Inclusive Language: Driving a Culture can do. belonging to. ”
Be open but don’t snoop – According to Sosa, “Celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month is in no way a call to arms to ask your colleagues if they have a specific diagnosis. However, this is a way to be open and receptive to conversations about mental health.” It’s also an opportunity.” For workplaces to focus on wellbeing, individuals must truly listen, be empathetic and considerate.
encourage participation – There are steps coworkers, managers, or executives can take to demonstrate their commitment to improving the mental health of their teams. It may seem minimal at the moment, but inviting your colleagues over for coffee or setting up a Zoom check-in can have huge positive benefits.
Encourage access to support and resources – As understanding of mental health continues to expand, more resources have become available through commercially sponsored insurance plans and outside resources designed to assist care settings and the public. Managers and leaders should encourage their teams to seek the professional support they need. Executives aren’t expected to “fix” everything, but they can encourage employees to take advantage of the organization’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (if available) or provide assistance from their primary care provider. Encouraging referrals can go a long way in helping you. .
Executive mental health
A 2022 Deloitte report examining the role of executives in mental health found that nearly one-third of employees and executives suffer from fatigue and poor mental health. However, despite these similar experiences, executives’ perceptions of employee well-being are skewed in a positive direction, with 80% of executives claiming that their employees are thriving. Masu. The result is a harmful disconnect in how people view mental health and how they utilize available resources.
“Both groups find it difficult to make time for their health,” the report explains. “Only about half of employees and two-thirds of executives use all of their vacation time, take short breaks during the day, get enough sleep, and have enough time to spend with friends and family. ”
Clearly, senior management needs to think about how they deal with mental health. In a post-pandemic world filled with much economic and political uncertainty, executives must have courage not only in decision-making and leadership, but also in managing their own mental health. yeah. And you need to be realistic about what those around you are feeling.
Let’s face it: Many executives have to contend with loneliness. Few of our closest friends and family members realize what a burden they are taking on their time, effort, and energy. When you’re a CEO, someone is asking you to do something every second of every day. The information provided is always filtered. Also, people’s motives may not be in your best interest. Therefore, it takes courage to deal with this feeling of isolation and focus on what is best for the organization.
Previously, many leaders were expected to be unaffected by so-called “soft” issues such as mental health. This remnant of old management thinking is negatively impacting efforts to create workplace excellence and positive cultural change. Business owners who prioritize their own mental health will not only become better leaders, they will also be more empathetic to what their employees are going through.
About Donald Thompson
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2023 SE Award winner Donald Thompson founded The Diversity Movement (TDM) to fundamentally transform the modern workplace through diversity-driven cultural change. TDM was recently acquired by Workplace Options and provides comprehensive well-being services to more than 80 million people in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Recognized by Inc., Fast Company, and Forbes, Thompson is the author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Likely Path to Success, host of the podcast “High Octane His Leadership in an Empathetic World,” and a leader in leadership and executive leadership. He has published widely on ideas. As his leadership and executive coach, Thompson has created a culture-centered ethos that balances empathy and economy to win in the marketplace. His next book is The Inclusive Leadership Handbook: Balancing People and Performance for Sustainable Growth.
Follow him on LinkedIn to stay up to date on news, events, and podcasts, or contact him at info@donaldthompson.com for executive coaching, speaking engagements, and DEI-related content. TDM created LeaderView, a leadership assessment tool that uses cultural competency as a driver to improve overall team performance. To explore more DEI content and the issues that impact work and life, visit his TDM Library, a multimedia resource hub that provides leaders with an authoritative source of DEI content.
