Mental health is never an easy topic to discuss, yet it should be talked about— especially in the workplace. I am not a mental health professional nor officially trained to conduct counselling. However, I am a part of an ad hoc team in my organization that started the movement for employees' mental well-being. In the course of designing programmes and activities to promote well-being in the office, I've learned so much and I am still learning so much more. I will continuously share the knowledge that I gather, and I hope that you also get to pick up a thing or two.
"Well-Being is a Global Topic, Not Limited to Big Cities or Developed Economies.
First, let me tell you the priority is high everywhere. I asked HR leaders in India, Moscow, Japan, Amsterdam, Paris, and Romania about the topic. Every single group told me it was a very high priority. Why? First, it’s very clear that workers are digitally overwhelmed. I just did some research with LinkedIn and found that 27% of employees believe they are wasting an entire day each week on distracting, unimportant emails and messages. Second, people are working more hours. 40% of Americans work more than 50 hours per week and 74% don’t get enough sleep. And I hear this directly from corporations. When I asked the CHRO of one of the world’s largest energy companies why he was so focused on well-being he gave me a simple answer: “our people are exhausted.” They now start all staff meetings at 9 am so people can meditate or go to the gym before work." - Josh Bersin
Our well-being partner, In Touch Philippines, taught us that mental health is just like physical health. Mental health concerns each and every one of us. Referring to one's mental health does not automatically connote being sick, but refers to a full spectrum of indicators. One may be mentally well or healthy (one end of the spectrum), or one may be suffering from an illness (heading towards the other end of the spectrum). Just like talking about physical health, one may refer to one's self as physically fit and does not need a treatment, or when one is experiencing physical symptoms of a sickness, one is considered ill and may need professional care or medication. This spectrum may also indicate the kind of care one needs, such as (from left to right) prevention, treatment, and continuing care.
Before I proceed with sharing my thoughts, I'd like to note that workplace environments differ from one company to another, and I am sharing insights mostly from the industry I'm in (corporate, media/advertising/design to be specific). But even so, I hope this helps shed light on the discussion of mental well-being in the workplace.
"That said, it is important to be mindful that there are particular populations that may be more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety and depression. Millennial employees, women and those struggling with financial worries were reported more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety and depression, according to GBAS. Nevertheless, stress and emotional wellbeing needs still affect virtually all employees. Building a strong emotional wellbeing employee program supports multiple generations and increased productivity in an employer's workforce." - Willis Towers Watson
Mental well-being in the workplace is important.
While there are so many aspects concerning mental health, I decided to focus on mental well-being in the workplace because this is close to my heart (being in it) and because I know there's so much that we can all do to make workplaces a little bit better and kinder for everyone.
Workers spend a big percentage (if not most) of our waking hours at work. How or what we experience at work affects us greatly.
More often than not, we unconsciously bring work-related problems or stress back home with us and this, in turn, affects our personal relationships too— and vice versa.
"There’s interconnectivity between our personal and professional lives too. Satisfaction in our home lives allows us to bring our best selves to work. But when challenges in our personal lives demand attention and induce stress, we can become distracted, upset and exhausted. In today’s fast-paced society, the line between work and life is fading, making mental health increasingly difficult to prioritize." - Forbes
Employee well-being directly affects the business as well. Productivity and outcome have been proven to be greatly impacted by employees' mental health. Happier employees yield better results, lower attrition and turnover rates, and less occurrence of burnout.
Even though mental health can often be a taboo topic, especially in the workplace, it appears that employees want their employer to champion mental health and well-being. According to a survey of office workers in July 2018 from Peldon Rose:
72% of employees want employers to champion mental health and well-being.
Nearly three-quarters of workers say they want their employers to champion mental health and well-being in the workplace. This is rated as more important than equality (48%), sustainability (38%) and diversity (31%).
This is the case for all generations, who prioritize mental health and well-being above all other causes - Gen Z (76%), Millennials (73%), Gen X (75%), Baby Boomer (56%). - Forbes
Employee Mental Well-being should be prioritised from top to bottom.
What I've learned from our programme is that even if you have a strong movement among employees, the programme's success is heavily dependent on the support of top management. This is important because the programme needs to be ingrained in the company's "being"— meaning mental health programmes are more than free beers or pingpong tables in the office. It is a mindset, a philosophy that everyone has to embody and live by— starting with the leaders. I consider myself to be fortunate to work in a company whose priority has become employees' mental health. Without our CEO's support, our programme would not have run the way it did and the way it is running today. This is particularly evident in terms of budget, schedules, and policies. Yes— mental health should go all the way from essential oil workshops to official policies implemented by the company. (In terms of policies, I won't be able to share these yet because these are still in the works for us).
It doesn't happen overnight though. We are doing it step by step, one day, one year at a time. We are entering our third year running our well-being program and it has been growing since day one. Our first year was really focused on just simply opening the conversation. Getting everyone, and the management talking about mental health. Partnering with professionals and doctors who are licensed to counsel and and manage mental health concerns was also an important step for the company to make. Year two was focusing on team leaders, team dynamics, and psychological safety in teams. Year three planning is still on-going.
"The corporate wellness marketplace began decades ago with a highly specific focus on employee physical health and safety. Today, however, the definition of wellness has expanded dramatically to include a range of programs aimed at not only protecting employee health, but actively boosting performance as well as social and emotional well-being. These now include innovative programs and tools for financial wellness, mental health, healthy diet and exercise, mindfulness, sleep, and stress management, as well as changes to culture and leadership behaviors to support these efforts." - Deloitte
"Organizational change can start at the bottom through individual employee behavior, but it will almost always fall short without support from the top. Employee wellbeing is an issue that CEOs must take seriously, and research is showing that they do. According to a survey from investment firm Norwest Venture Partners, that involved 200 CEOs/founders of privately held, venture- and growth equity-backed companies, 32% of CEOs work with a wellness coach. A UK study cited in CEO magazine found that 60% of UK CEOs cite mental health at work as their top priority." - Culture Amp
Some links about our program: Download Havas: Standing Up for Mental Health
Adobo Magazine: Havas Ortega Group Chairman, Jos Ortega, to Speak About Mental Health in the Marketing Industry at Mumbrella360 Asia
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to mental health & well-being programs.
From WHO: Healthy Workplaces: A Model for Action
To create a healthy workplace, an enterprise needs to consider the avenues or arenas of influ- ence where actions can best take place and the most effective processes by which employers and workers can take action. According to the model described here, developed through systematic literature and expert review, four key areas can be mobilized or influenced in healthy workplace initiatives:
the physical work
the psychosocial work environment;
personal health resources;
enterprise involvement in the community.
While there are guidelines that help companies jumpstart their mental well-being programmes, the execution and implementation should be customized to fit the company and the employees in terms of culture, behaviour, and the specific issues that exist within the organization. Solutions should be employee-centric and those creating the programmes should really put time and effort into getting to know the employees, their sentiments, and their problems. I think this goes to show that even if the details of the programmes may differ from one company to another, empathy is one thing that should remain constant.
From CDC:
Workplace health promotion programs have proven to be successful, especially when they combine mental and physical health interventions.
The workplace is an optimal setting to create a culture of health because:
Communication structures are already in place.
Programs and policies come from one central team.
Social support networks are available.
Employers can offer incentives to reinforce healthy behaviours.
Employers can use data to track progress and measure the effects.
Action steps employers can take include:
Make mental health self-assessment tools available to all employees.
Offer free or subsidized clinical screenings for depression from a qualified mental health professional, followed by directed feedback and clinical referral when appropriate.
Offer health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for depression medications and mental health counseling.
Provide free or subsidized lifestyle coaching, counseling, or self-management programs.
Distribute materials, such as brochures, fliers, and videos, to all employees about the signs and symptoms of poor mental health and opportunities for treatment.
Host seminars or workshops that address depression and stress management techniques, like mindfulness, breathing exercises, and meditation, to help employees reduce anxiety and stress and improve focus and motivation.
Create and maintain dedicated, quiet spaces for relaxation activities.
Provide managers with training to help them recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and depression in team members and encourage them to seek help from qualified mental health professionals.
Give employees opportunities to participate in decisions about issues that affect job stress.
But also, well-being is not a one way street. Everyone has to do their part.
While management has a responsibility to own when it comes to employees' mental health and well-being, each individual has his or her own part too. As with a lot of other things about work, we cannot rely solely on our leaders to solve everything for us. We need to make our own efforts, assessments, and take our own steps towards taking care of our mental health. During the times that we aren't able to do so, we can always reach out to our friends, family, colleagues, mentors, leaders, or professionals.
We all have different breaking points and emotional saturation point. Mental health may refer to our own resilience to stress. It is like a thermometer that we use to keep ourselves in check and the moment we feel that something is not right, it is best to take preventive measures or reach out to those that can help. Preventive measures may include simple breathing exercises, physical workouts, talking to someone you trust, or simply taking a break.
There are organizations in different places around the world who offer free mental health services. Just search for one near you, or for a local number to call and try it out.
In Touch Philippines has a free hotline for anyone to call, 24/7:
0917 800 1123
0922 893 8944
(02) 8893 7603
April 5: COVID-19 positive: 3,246, with a total of 152 who've passed and 64 recoveries
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