Supporting the mental health of employees is important because employees experience burnout at work. Who navigate through potentially life-changing moments afterlife. who try to appear in front of loved ones who depend on them for support. Because your employees need support now and will need it from now on.
Of course, it’s not just individual employees who need support – we all need support: HR leaders and executives. Most of us deal with life’s stresses along with constant expectations to meet deadlines, exceed company goals, to be creative and agile with the pressures of leadership.
The truth is, people’s mental health struggles are very real right now, but many work environments make it hard to open up about it. Many work environments do not provide mental health support even at a time when people need it most. Fortunately, there is an opportunity for organizations that claim to be the first to put people first. To provide mental health support that creates safer and more nutritious workplaces. You can start by taking 13 minutes to read about how people are doing right now and take steps forward to take real action.
What is the current mental health status of employees?
We are all navigating what seems like one crisis after another and we are all affected. New findings from the Harris Poll show that more than 2 in 3 US employees say thinking about current world events is having a negative impact on their mental health. Furthermore, half of all employees in the US say this has a negative impact on their work performance.
More than 3 in 4 US employees say they think about current world events several times a week or more, and more than half do so once a day or more. More than 1 in 10 employees in the United States say that thinking about current world events has a significant negative impact on their mental health.
Beyond data, it’s clear in casual conversations, social media chains, and communities everywhere that people are going through tough times. And while a lot of the weight of turning life upside down is nothing new, many companies are just getting into the mental health conversation. This means that most employees have had the experience of not being heard for a very long time.
Now is the time to invest in mental health support for employees throughout the year. Keep reading to find out why providing ongoing mental health support is the way forward.
Why should employee mental health be a priority for organization leaders in 2022 and beyond?
The results of the Harris survey themselves show that there is a clear gap in the current state of employee mental health and what companies are doing to support employee mental health:
Only 29% of employees in the US say their employer has increased mental health benefits (eg, extra time off, therapy/counseling benefits) due to potential stress related to current global events. 40% say their mental health benefits have remained the same.
Unfortunately, 31% said their employer does not provide any benefits for their mental health. Takeaway? The majority of employees are in distress these days but it is possible that the majority of companies are not doing enough to support people. It is true that investing in employee well-being and mental health support takes intent, time, and money, but that investment leads to workplaces that advance business goals and individuals. Here’s what investing in employee mental health can do:
Increase the general health of employees.
The link between mental health and physical health is close. According to the CDC, for example, if one of your employees suffers from depression, they are also at an increased risk of developing long-term physical health problems such as heart disease and stroke. When mental health is damaged, physical health is affected and the impact deepens, limiting an employee’s ability to appear to work at their full potential. When employees are supported, they are better able to bring thinking and creativity into their work because they thrive.
Increased ability to bring energy to work.
People are much more than how productive they are. However, there is no denying that when your people are healthy, they are better able to appear more fully and connect with their work. According to the IBM Employee Experience Report, employees who have a sense of belonging, purpose, achievement, happiness, and activism are more likely to perform at higher levels and contribute “beyond expectations.” Supporting the mental health of your employees means recognizing their reality and empowering them with tools that enable them to actually appear to work with more energy.
Improve employee retention.
The same IBM study also found that employees with the highest experience scores on the index stayed longer than those on the lower end of the index. What does this mean? Employees who have had a great work experience—meaning they feel supported and cared for in all aspects of their well-being—are less likely to seek employment elsewhere.
What are the consequences if companies do not support the mental health of employees?
Currently, more than half of employees in the US believe their employer is not doing enough to support their mental health with the potential stress associated with current global events. But continuing with the status quo of not meeting the mental health needs of employees will not do well for employees or organizations:
Less “productivity” and more stress.
More than 40% of employees in the United States say that their motivation to do their work is strongly influenced by current global events. The fact of the matter is that when a person is feeling overwhelmed, lonely, sad, and dealing with stressors affecting their mental health, they cannot perform at work. They can be the smartest, most talented, and most reactive employees when they’re healthy, but without mental health support, you’ll likely see a small part of what they can really do.
Higher employee turnover.
Whether at work or in life, if you don’t feel appreciated or supported, it’s hard to convince yourself to stay in that position. It’s hard to be your best self in this situation.
Gallup reports that organizations with the top 25% of employee experience have an 18 to 43% lower turnover rate than the bottom quartile. Feeling fully supported and valued at work is a factor in the employee’s overall experience. Employees cannot be satisfied with their work experience if their mental health is not considered.
While many companies continue to prioritize profit over people, there are forward-thinking companies that strive to be truly people-first, to prioritize taking care of the whole person. These companies will win the race to attract and retain the best talent.
Case in point: PwC just invested $2.4 billion in the well-being of its people, which includes doubling the number of free visits with a mental health professional and compensating these out-of-network professionals. this is important. This year-round support tells employees, “We put our people first.”
General Manager Mohamed Harmalani
