By Amy Schabacker Dufrane
As HR professionals, all of us aspire to create cultures of caring. Similarly, most employees are keen to do meaningful work that blends values, mission and opportunities. When workers are being asked to bring their “whole self” to work, employers need to be prepared to provide guidance and support for challenging issues – such as mental health – overflow into the workplace. Mental health matters to all of us, and whether directly or indirectly, few are exempt from its impact.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While I applaud this spotlight, what I want to call our dear readers’ attention to is Mental Health Action Day. May 16 has been set aside to shift from awareness to action. Powered by a growing coalition of more than 2,000 nonprofits, brands, government agencies and influential leaders from more than 32 countries, its purpose is to show how we can improve our mental health.
Before activating action programs, awareness deserves another look. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in five U.S. adults aged 18 or older have reported symptoms of stress. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious can manifest physically as well, including heart disease, respiratory illness and other disorders. The costs for treating people with both mental health disorders and other physical conditions are two to three times higher than for those without co-occurring illnesses.
Poor mental health negatively impacts individuals, families, communities, and work. Job performance and productivity, employee engagement, and daily functioning diminish. Cognitive performance can be reduced by as much as 35 percent and other health risks can increase as negative coping tactics such as smoking, obesity or substance abuse proliferate. Even more extreme scenarios compromise workplace safety and suicide.
On an individual level, there are leave options covered by FMLA and sometimes chronic mental health conditions necessitate inpatient treatment, therapy or care giving that make it difficult to balance work and life. Reasonable accommodation – modifications to the person’s job – whether making assistive technology available or accommodating scheduling changes – can also ensure employees receive the support they need. A company’s Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) might offer confidential services; however, usage tends to be low. Clearly, more needs to be done and it starts with fostering the mental health and wellbeing of all employees.
On an organizational level, reducing stigma and promoting a mental-health friendly workplace can benefit everyone. HR’s role is not to diagnose; our objective is to help employees learn skills and get the support they need to improve their mental health. Providing educational guides, stress management workshops, and access to screenings, treatments and services are a few strategies that can be implemented in the workplace.
Recently, HRCI’s Alchemizing HR webinar series featured presenters on this topic from the Health Action Alliance (HAA). HAA is the country’s largest network of business leaders tackling the top and emerging risks to workforce health. I found their ideas for Mental Health Action Day particularly intriguing, easy to implement, and quite innovative. The overall goal is to offer learning, connection and opportunities in a manner that doesn’t create an undue burden on the workforce. Among their recommendations are:
- Create platforms or Slack channels where employees can connect beyond work to share interests, hobbies and personal milestones.
- Implement regular town hall meetings and provide opportunities for employees to voice their ideas and concerns.
- Offer Employee Resource Groups dedicated to supporting workers in need.
- Proactively break the silence by incentivizing the sharing of success
My decades in HR lead me to offer a few more actions that HR professionals can implement. Start by reviewing your employee benefit plans and make sure that aren’t creating barriers to behavioral health services. Provide managers with adequate conflict resolution training so as not to create friction inadvertently. Communicate the value of well-being frequently and correlate it with positive outcomes. Be gentle and respectful of those in need and make sure they have access to support services.
Employers play a vital role in the lives of their workers. HR professionals are the stewards of this responsibility and recognize the importance of positive, productive employee experiences. While May is Mental Health Awareness Month, every day needs to be Mental Health Action Day.
