A Thriving Workplace: Belongingness as a Tenet of Workplace Mental Health

Setting the Stage: Impact of DE&I on Workplace Mental Health ?

Research has demonstrated that various aspects of people’s identities, including race, ethnicity, age, and gender orientation, affect their mental health at work. Creating a sense of belongingness, the feeling that one’s identity is accepted at work, can affect employee and organizational health. In fact, diverse organizations are 35 percent more likely to perform better and increase ROI.

However, recent data indicate that there continue to be barriers to mental health support for most employee populations. In 2023, White working Americans were likelier to report strong personal connections with coworkers, a sense of belonging at work, and alignment with organizational values than Asian American Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, and Black workers. One-third of US workers want to move to a more LGBTQ+ inclusive employer. This figure is even higher (over half) for those in an ethnic minority. In addition, racial bias in the workplace costs US businesses $54.1 billion annually in increased absenteeism, $58.7 billion in lost productivity, and $171.9 billion in turnover.

“Employers need to be attentive to and understand the longer term and farther-reaching implications for addressing the DE&I-related impacts not just for mental health, but for emotional and physical health as well,” Valerie L. Rochester, chief health equity officer, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, said. “The impact on physical health as a result of ‘weathering’ and increased societal stressors experienced among staff of color are profoundly affecting the health and wellness of individuals who experience these.”

To increase belongingness, leadership can offer employee resource groups (ERGs) representing various populations, model healthy behaviors, and adopt an inclusive mindset. Doing so makes employees of diverse backgrounds feel welcome and valued.

“Sharing lived experiences and creating peer-to-peer support systems is so vital: When you see yourself in someone else, that fosters belonging and psychological safety,” said Barb Solish, national director, Office of Innovation, of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

When employers anticipate the mental health needs of all employees and encourage diversity in background and perspective, employees can experience a greater sense of inclusion and belonging, which ultimately impacts their ability to thrive and be productive in the workplace. When employees feel they belong, they look forward to coming to work and want to stay with their organization long-term.

“All Americans deserve safe, supportive, and mentally healthy work environments,” said The Hartford’s chairman and CEO, Christopher Swift. “It is vital that companies continue to break down stigma and prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion. Together, we can make a difference and improve the lives of millions of US employees and their families.”

At a Glance: Workplace Insights to Consider?

• Employee Satisfaction: Employees want to see efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and believe those efforts positively impact the workplace. Eighty percent of US workers want to work for an organization that values DE&I, and 60 percent approve of leaders speaking up about social and political issues. Workers who are satisfied by their employer’s DE&I efforts have higher Workforce Happiness Index scores than those who are not.
• Recruiting Top Talent: Being intentional about inclusive hiring practices could be key to attracting new talent. Sixty-seven percent of job seekers say that workplace diversity is essential in their job search.
• Retention, Performance, and Productivity: Eighty-three percent of millennials (35 percent of the workforce) are more actively engaged at work if they believe their organization fosters a diverse and inclusive culture. A commitment to DE&I efforts will help recruit the next generation of talent and is crucial for their engagement and productivity.

Opportunities for Employers to Make an Impact

• Equitable Policies and Practices: Audit existing policies to ensure hiring and promotional practices are equitable and transparent. This investment will demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being and create a sense of trust and fairness, which are crucial to an inclusive workplace. For example, employers can emphasize tangible professional competencies and implement standardized, consistent, and clearly documented processes to reduce bias.
• Workplace Connection: Offer forums, like ERGs for various identities and life stages, where employees can experience peer-to-peer support.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Collect and use employee feedback to make data-driven decisions about the evolving mental health-related needs of employees. Anonymous employee feedback surveys can capture the range and diversity of employees’ mental health support needs and be used to inform future practices, policies, and benefits offerings.
• Worksite Accessibility: Review Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and implement necessary modifications to the workplace to ensure the work environment is accessible for employees with disabilities.

Conclusion

Employees are choosing employers that foster belonging and mental health support. For employers to retain top talent and optimize their productivity, a comprehensive investment in DE&I is critical. A true investment in whole-person health for employees must integrate intersectionality to consider all the factors contributing to a diverse workforce’s health, well-being, and performance and tailor policies and programs to anticipate their unique needs. When employers create a safe, inclusive, and accepting work environment, employees and their organizations thrive.

The Milken Institute's Public Health team is working with The Hartford to promote employer actions to foster mentally healthy workplaces.

Resources

Milken Institute

• Racial Equity and Mental Health in the Workplace: Actions to Drive Systems Change
• Understanding and Identifying Gaps in Employer Mental Health Resources
• Making Waves: Next Gen Making a Difference in Mental Health in the Workplace

The Hartford

• New Study Finds Nearly Half of LGBTQ+ Workers’ Mental Health at Work Affected by News, Current Events, Less Likely to Seek Care
• New Study: Black US Workers Face Greater Barriers to Mental Health Support at Work

Havas Group

• Prosumer Report of 2023: Joyful Frugality

National Alliance on Mental Illness

• Workplace Mental Health Resources
• Identity and Cultural Dimensions of Mental Health
• Hope Starts With Us: Stigma & Mental Health
• Hope Starts With Us: Workplace Mental Health
• You are NOT Alone Infographic
• Language Matters Infographic
• NAMI’s Rest Up Week