Are you Ok?

The importance of mental health and well-being

Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day. I recently spoke to my grandmother (she is 97!) about how the coronavirus pandemic compares to previous global crises, especially World War II, and how she coped mentally. My grandmother was around 18 years old when World War II took place. She shared with me that “the hardest part of it was not knowing when it would end”. This uncertainty is also what comes up most in conversations about remote work life today.

Uncertainty can create stress and anxiety. Living in worry about safety and the future can take a toll on our mental health that is often underestimated. We tend to say, everything is fine, when in fact, not everything is fine.

Many are hesitant to share when they are struggling out of fear that it may impact them negatively. It is easier to talk about a pulled muscle than anxiety. Therefore, it is so important to focus on mental health and creating an environment where it is ok to say when you are not ok.

In fact, mental health issues are common. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) one in four people will suffer from mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. This data was taken long before the start of the pandemic.

That’s why Dr Natalie Lotzmann and team at SAP kicked of the “Are you ok?” initiative. The initiative aspires to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. SAP, including Enterprise Cloud Services, is committed to a culture of inclusion and stigmas around mental health have no place in that culture.

It’s OK not to be OK!

 Find out more how SAP is addressing mental health and well-being here.