I'm Grateful for Mental Health Awareness

Over the last few months, I have been asked to attend a few dinners where the guests are chief human resource officers. These gatherings are places where the leaders can talk openly about the biggest issues of the day when it comes to recruiting, training, and leading people. My role in these gatherings is to share some data and case studies from our book “Anxiety at Work” and then to lead a discussion about mental health in the workplace

I am always eager to hear from these experts as to what they are doing to help their people build resilience in their team members and also help those who are struggling on their teams with anxiety, depression, loneliness and a host of other issues on the mental health spectrum.

As you might imagine, mental health is becoming more top of mind for Chief Human Resource Officers as well as for all managers. The numbers tell the story. Here’s what we know:

• 2018 — 18% of workers were living with an anxiety disorder.
• 2022 — 30% of people said they had an anxiety disorder that was affecting their work. That includes 42% of people in their twenties who were living with an anxiety disorder.

And every HR leader perks up when they see this:

• 50% of millennials and 75% of Gen Z say they’ve quit a job for mental health reasons.

Wow! Those are pretty telling statistics that show we have a major problem on our hands when it comes to mental health.

The fact is that nine out of ten employees say they are afraid to talk about mental health to their managers and leaders because of the stigma attached to the subject. So, what are the answers? What can we do?

To summarize the conversations from more than 50 HR leaders--here are three things that can be done.

1.?? Normalize -- It’s normal to feel anxiety, it’s a human emotion.

2.?? Destigmatize -- Get rid of misconceptions and begin dialogue.

3.?? Empathize -- “I’ve felt that way” vs “I’m strong and you are weak, let me help you.” That’s pity, not empathy.

Best-in-class organizations find ways to make sure their people know about the resources available like EAP programs, and they put in place rituals for leaders and employees that help keep the conversation going.

One best practice from a Toronto-based company TravelBrands. They put these rituals in place to ensure that wellness is top of mind for their people:

• Mindful Monday: Beginning the week with a focus on wellness—from how-to-meditate to the importance of quiet time.
• Wellness Wednesday: A midweek focus on decreasing stress, increasing exercise, and encouraging healthy habits.
• Fun Fridays: Helping people end the week on a positive note with a little levity, fun activities, and ensuring people can balance their work and home lives by entering the weekend with the right mindset.?

I love this ritual because it becomes part of the culture and gives people something to look forward to every week. I am sure there are ways that you and your organization are looking to make sure your people know they are supported and cared for when it comes to mental health where you work. I would love to hear your best practices so we can share it through our network.

Here's the hard reality: The pandemic created a lot of uncertainty for many people. If there was one silver lining from COVID is that people started talking about their stress, anxiety and other mental health issues. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which gives us all a change to focus on this vital issue. Let’s not lose the chance to make a difference this month for the health of everyone we work with and everyone in our lives.

Love + Gratitude

Mental Health Awareness ??

Anxiety at Work podcast. Each week, my co-author and dear friend, Adrian Gostick, and I are grateful for the opportunity to talk to leading authorities on mental health and explore the causes of workplace stress and anxiety, along with practices that are proven to reduce tension & cultivate calm.

Key Highlights: ??

• The Problem of Learned Silence
• Redefining Communication
• Practical Advice for Leaders
• Personal Application

With us is our new friend Elaine Lin Hering who works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. She is the former Advanced Training Director for the Harvard Mediation Program and a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law.? She is also the author of the just released book “Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully” from Penguin.

Hot of the Press?? (or from the editing floor)

Gostick & Elton are overjoyed to share Anxiety at Work Resilience Training. Self-guided for one, or enterprise for many. 8 modules and 7 CPU's earned. Launch Offer: Currently offering 50% discount

The Culture Works ??

Visit The Culture Works for free resources including videos, podcast episodes, and more to help you build an "all in"?culture?of?gratitude.

Leading with Gratitude & Anxiety at Work are sold at fine bookstores everywhere.

??NEW keynote from Gostick & Elton offers six strategies to help you embrace the discomfort of uncertainty and ambiguity??