Investment in company culture outperforms individual approaches to mental health, such as therapy services, self-care apps and even time off, according to an Oct. 10 report from Mind Share Partners and Qualtrics.
In fact, about 78% of U.S. workers said an emphasis on healthy and sustainable workplaces would be moderately to extremely helpful for mental health.
“Many employers have begun to take mental health at work seriously, and their efforts are producing noticeable results. That said, mental health broadly is not improving,” Kelly Greenwood, founder and CEO of Mind Share Partners, said in a statement. “Economic uncertainty and workplace factors — unsustainable workloads, a lack of a supportive community and systemic inequalities — are leading to employees languishing in their jobs. This is where organizational culture change is needed.”
In a survey of 1,500 U.S. workers, mental health in the workplace appears to show mixed trends post-pandemic. For instance, there was a 20% decline in workers reporting mental health symptoms this year after a major spike in 2021, which is a positive trend. However, employees’ views of their own mental health continued to decline, building on declines in previous years. In addition, nearly a quarter of workers cited work as their biggest stressor.
As Mind Share Partners reported in previous years and confirmed this year, women, Black, Latinx, LGBTQ+ and Generation Z employees tend to report worse mental health outcomes than their colleagues. However, investments in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have led to improvements. Workers who said their employer supported their identity were also more engaged at work, committed to their employer and reported better mental health outcomes, according to the survey.
Ultimately, employee voice and engagement matters, according to the report, especially in ongoing discussions about hybrid work. Although mental health didn’t vary significantly based on in-person, hybrid or remote schedules, hybrid workers who had some level of control and influence over where they work had better outcomes with mental health, engagement and work itself.
“Employers need to go back to the basics. This means livable wages, true balance between work and life, a sense of belonging and sustainable ways of working,” Bernie Wong, principal at Mind Share Partners, said in a statement.
“There will be no technological revolution, no productized panacea and certainly no renaissance of mental wellbeing if the voices and livelihoods of workers aren’t fundamentally at the center of our cultures and systems,” he said. “A mentally healthy future is possible, and we all can play a role.”
Organizational culture change may make a particular difference at companies where most workers don’t use mental health benefits. A lack of understanding, access and adequate options can limit use of these benefits, according to a recent report from Amwell. Better communication about benefits and different wellness options can help fill the mental health care gap.
Training managers can help as well. Most managers express concerns about addressing employee mental health needs and talking about mental health in an appropriate way. Mental health sensitivity training can help managers collaborate with staff on solutions before productivity concerns or absenteeism problems arise.
Most importantly, leading with listening is key. That means giving everyday feedback and participating in everyday engagement through one-on-one conversations and regular interactions in person or online. Additional tools — such as AI-based text messaging — can help employers to listen to their employees and take action as well.
