$1 trillion

That's the amount the World Health Organization (WHO) projects is costing our business community in lost productivity. In the same article the WHO reported 12 billion workdays lost to depression and anxiety. (WHO article here.)

How does that factor into your PTO plan?

Just last week I met with a gal who joined me as a victim of the fallout from a toxic workplace, where unreasonable expectations results in burnout, health problems, and mental illness.

Yes, I said mental illness.

Why are we having this conversation? We are holding this community conversation to normalize the conversation about mental wellbeing at work because it's normal to feel a little crazy from time to time.

Let me say that again.

It's normal to feel a little crazy from time to time.

What we need to save the workplace and to keep good people so we don't have to spend 2.5 times their salary to train a replacement is to normalize the conversation about mental wellbeing at work by:

• Providing easy access to help.
• Creating psychological safety for people to ask for help.
• Communicating clear boundaries for these freedoms in the interest of productivity, because ultimately we're here to get a job done.

We're not only talking about the problems, we're bringing solutions to Colorado Springs through:

• Kelli Melissa Reinhardt -- a warrior for mental health and creator of the Make Mental Health Matter and founder of the Make Mental Health Matter TV Show
• Carmina Blasko, MA, LPC, NCC , clinincal director for Ellie Mental Health , specializing in the treatment of grief, trauma, sleep problems, and chronic physical and mental health issues.
• Cristi Bundukamara Ed.D, PMHNP-BC (Dr.B) , a distinguished psychiatric nurse practitioner with over two decades of dedicated expertise. Her groundbreaking work culminated in the establishment of the pioneering the Mentally STRONG Clinic and the Mentally STRONG Academy.

It's not too late to join us Tuesday night at The Pinery at the Hill in Colorado Springs at 5 p.m. You can get more information and register here.

If you are not in Colorado Springs and would like us to bring an event like this to your city, contact [email protected].