By Jennifer Fiorillo
Mental Health
Jennifer Fiorillo
It’s no surprise that the level of stress and burnout among American workers was higher throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Psychological Association’s 2021 Work and Well-Being survey of 1,501 US adult workers, almost 80 percent of employees had experienced work-related stress in the month prior to being surveyed. Almost 60 percent of employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, including 26 percent who lacked motivation and energy and almost 20 percent who lacked effort at work. Forty-four percent reported physical fatigue – a 38 percent increase since 2019.
The chain of events following the start of the pandemic, including financial challenges, illness, death and drastic changes in how we work and educate our children all contributed to the compounding stress and burnout that impacted most of us in some way.
There are more than 160 million people who are part of the US workforce, and those who are full time spend almost half of their waking hours at work. Given this high volume of people who are actively working, it’s incumbent on employers to promote positive employee mental health and wellness and foster an environment of connectedness and engagement. Not doing that can potentially have a damaging impact on the health of employees and a business.
Results from a Gallup poll conducted in August and September 2022 found that the estimated cost of missed work due to poor mental health over a 12-month period in the US was almost $48 billion in lost productivity.
There are a number of strategies employees can use to promote mental health and wellness in the workplace, starting with top leadership building a culture of safety to express and address mental health issues. This culture can be supported in a number of ways that include investing in education for employees to learn more about mental health and making it a normal part of conversation. Giving employees the tools around mental health literacy can help to reduce stigma and increase the likelihood that they will recognize when their peers and colleagues may be struggling.
Offering adequate mental health coverage under an employee health plan is essential, as is communicating that these benefits are available. Some employees may not know that there is coverage and how to access services. Raising awareness through new staff orientation or a periodic review of benefits is a basic strategy that can help to improve the chances that employees will know how to seek whatever help they may need.
Finally, giving employees a forum to talk openly among themselves will offer them an outlet of support and acceptance. Employee-led resource groups allow for open and safe discussion in the workplace, fostering a culture of inclusion and a place to express concerns and issues. Employee resource groups have become more common in the last few years as part of employers’ diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Addressing mental health in the workplace will lead to employees feeling like an organization is committed to their well-being. Creating a culture around educating, communicating and offering access and space for discussion with coworkers can lead to more engaged employees and improved retention in the end.
Jennifer Fiorillo, MBA, MPH is the president and CEO of Bridges Healthcare in Milford, and may be reached at Jfiorillo@bridgesmilford.org.