Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace

Invariant’s Dialogue for Change

People have faced mental health challenges for generations. However, only recently, COVID brought mental health and emotional well-being to the forefront of workplace discourse. Invariant’s latest Dialogue for Change, “Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace,” explored how leaders and managers can promote mental wellness, the unique mental health issues faced by minorities, and how to support all colleagues experiencing mental health challenges.

Invariant’s Caroline Ponseti moderated a conversation with Dr. Dennis P. Stolle, the Senior Director of Applied Psychology for the American Psychological Association, and Amanda Miller Littlejohn, an executive coach and columnist for Forbes.

Here are five takeaways from their discussion:

1. Prioritize employee well-being to be an employer of choice. According to Dr. Stolle, prioritizing mental health and well-being is critical to attracting and retaining the best talent. According to a 2023 American Psychological Association survey, 92% of workers said it is important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being. Additionally, creating a culture of psychological safety at work helps foster innovation because when employees aren’t afraid to fail, they take the risks needed to achieve great success.
2. Start by building a culture of trust. While mental health benefits are important, employees and prospective employees are most interested in working for an organization that promotes emotional well-being. Start from the top — leaders can promote trust by talking openly about their own well-being and taking time to ask others how they are doing. Additionally, we can normalize talking about mental health by acknowledging periods of increased angst and regularly reminding employees about different mental health resources available to them. According to Dr. Stolle, an individual’s relationship with their manager can have just as much impact on mental health as their relationship with their spouse. Managers must vocally prioritize employee well-being and should be offered specific training tailored to this issue.
3. Help employees avoid burnout by respecting time off. According to Littlejohn, burnout can be caused by both workplaces and employees. Especially in high-performing cultures, employees expect a lot of themselves and don’t always take needed time off. In addition to allowing remote workdays and flexible schedules, it is essential that employers and managers respect time off.
4. Consider the disproportionate mental health impacts on minorities. People have layered experiences that can impact their mental health. Similar to medical comorbidities, everyone is at risk of catching the flu, but extra attention is paid to immunocompromised people. Minorities have more factors that impact their mental health. Acknowledging these factors in the workplace can help shift the ideologies around mental health and give people increased opportunities to share and connect.
5. Find what works for you and invest in yourself. Just as with physical health, you must put in the work to improve your mental health. Start by normalizing talking about mental health for yourself, and then find a daily practice you can implement into a routine, such as journaling, meditation, or practicing gratitude. Check out this article for more ways to reduce stress and improve your mental health.

Watch the discussion here: