Why we should care about mental health in the workplace

And where to start

When we meet someone new, we often get the inevitable question, "What do you do?"

Since I started my business last November, my answer to this question has become increasingly simplified. 

First, saying you're a consultant is the quickest way to see eyes glaze over.

I used to try to explain that I provide speaking, education, and consulting for companies and professional organizations on improving mental health in the workplace.

Today, I start with "I help companies talk about mental health."

I have yet to meet someone that does not connect to this. Either they are a manager in need of resources to help their team struggling with burnout and overwork, an individual dealing with their personal mental health challenges, or a leader trying to figure out how to create a healthier workplace culture.

The issue is that mental health in the workplace is a broad topic and one with many differing views and strategies to support the problems. 

Today, I wanted to get back to the basics and provide some information on why supporting mental health in the workplace is good for business, what the research says regarding trends in mental health challenges and needs, and a basic list of best practices to help you get started moving your company in the right direction.

As someone who has been hospitalized many times and used FMLA and medical leave even more, I can tell you from experience that it is best to get on top of these issues early.

As a professional in this space, I know there is hope. In building a solid and committed foundation, your employees will feel valued, heard, and supported to do their best work, business will improve, and your overall culture will thrive.

The Basics

Infographic: $16 trillion: potential cost to the world economy between 2010 and 2030 for mental health conditions. 12 billion days of lost productivity every year to anxiety and depression. 48% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials say they feel stressed all or most of the time.

The Business Case

To start, supporting mental health is good for business! Here are three mental health best practices and how they can improve business:

Provide actionable steps to address mental health challenges and burnout

• Reduce healthcare costs

• Reduce the number of employees taking disability leave

• Reduce the length of disability leave

• Enhance productivity

Develop a culture of well-being and psychological safety

• Increase employee satisfaction and engagement

• Increase innovation and creativity

• Improve retention and productivity

• Enhance communication and feedback

Build confident and vulnerable leadership with an inclusive mindset

• Build trust, resilience, and collaboration

• Employees feel seen, heard, and valued

• Employees feel appreciated and recognized 

Here are some recommended resources for the mental health business case:

• One Mind at Work: The Business Case for Investing in Workforce Health

• Headspace: The Business Case for Investing in Mental Health

• World Health Organization on Mental Health at Work

Want to know how much mental health costs your company? Find out with the National Safety Council's Employer Cost Calculator for Mental Health.

The Research

According to Mind Share Partner's latest research, "the future of mental health will be a 'back to basics'" in which we must focus on culture, safety, and community.

Mind Share Partners' 2023 Mental Health at Work Report in partnership with qualtrics

Here are some key findings from Mind Share Partner's 2023 Mental Health at Work Report:

Key Findings

#1. Mental health challenges are improving and worsening.

Mental health symptoms have improved since 2021, but workers’ views of overall mental health also declined. 

#2. Employer investments in work are having a net positive impact on mental health.

Unlike previous years, the positive impact of the workplace on workers' mental health outweighed the negative.

#3. Workers want healthy work cultures, not self-care perks.

Healthy and sustainable cultures of work were rated more helpful than therapy and self-care resources.

#4. Employers making meaningful investments in DEIBJ see payoffs.

But marginalized identities (Black, LatinX, AAPI, LGBTQ+) continue to face disproportionate challenges.

#5. Psychological safety declined amidst perceptions of diminishing support from employers.

Less than 40% said their employer prioritizes mental health.

#6. When it comes to the hybrid work debate, employee voice matters.

Workers who were hybrid by choice reported shorter mental health symptoms, less stigma, and a better relationship to work.

*Visit the report linked above for the complete research, guidance, and recommendations.

More recent research on mental health in the workplace:

• Lyra's State of Workforce Mental Health Report

• Headspace: 2024 Workforce State of Mind

• NAMI 2024 Workplace Mental Health Poll

• American Psychological Association Work in America Survey

Best Practices

While there are many best practices to improve employee mental health, the US Surgeon General's Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being is a great place to start. Its five essentials for supporting employee mental health and well-being capture many top practices in one comprehensive plan.

The US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being shows the five essentials for workplace mental health and well-being: Protection from harm (safety and security), Connection & Community (social support and belonging), Work-Life Harmony (Autonomy and Flexibility), Mattering at Work (Dignity and Meaning), and Opportunity for Growth (Learning and Accomplishment).

The US Surgeon General states, "Centered on the worker voice and equity, these five Essentials support workplaces as engines of well-being. Each Essential is grounded in two human needs, shared across industries and roles. Creating a plan with all workers to enact these components can help reimagine workplaces as engines of well-being." The five essentials are as follows: 

Protection from Harm

• Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety 

• Enable adequate rest 

• Normalize and support mental health 

• Operationalize DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility) norms, policies, and programs 

Work-Life Harmony 

• Provide more autonomy over how work is done 

• Make schedules as flexible and predictable as possible 

• Increase access to paid leave 

• Respect boundaries between work and non-work time 

Mattering at Work 

• Provide a living wage 

• Engage workers in workplace decisions 

• Build a culture of gratitude and recognition 

• Connect individual work with organizational mission 

Connection & Community 

• Create cultures of inclusion and belonging 

• Cultivate trusted relationships 

• Foster collaboration and teamwork 

Opportunity for Growth 

• Offer quality training, education, and mentoring 

• Foster clear, equitable pathways for career advancement 

• Ensure relevant, reciprocal feedback

Suggestions from a Lived Experience Advisor