Mental illness has become a daily presence in today’s headlines, and the issue must be addressed in the place where many people spend most of their time—at work. Employers are in a prime position to make a difference with America’s collective mental health, says author Graeme Cowan.
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Cowan, author of Back from the Brink: True Stories and Practical Help for Overcoming Depression and Bipolar Disorder, shares eight strategies to help leaders get started in developing a culture that fosters mental wellness.
1. Link Your Efforts to Purpose and Values
First and foremost, employers need to understand that creating a culture of mental well-being isn’t something that can be changed simply by instituting new rules and policies. Employees’ well-being—particularly their mental health—is a very personal thing. And most people won’t be willing to speak up about their needs, preferences, struggles, and experiences unless they feel that your efforts are more than just another initiative handed down from the people in the corner offices.
“People are motivated and energized when they really believe that the changes being made will make a positive difference—not just to your company’s bottom line, but also to them as individuals,” notes Cowan.
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2. Make Sure Leaders Set the Example
A recent Harvard global study of 19,000 employees showed that only 25 percent believed that their leader lived a balanced and sustainable lifestyle. The one in four employees who did believe that their leader lived a balanced and healthy life were shown to be 52 percent more engaged, and they had a 72 percent higher well-being.
“The point? The most practical thing leaders can do to create a mentally healthy work culture is to lead healthy lives themselves,” says Cowan. “For instance, if you encourage employees to leave work at work so that they can devote time to family, friends, hobbies, exercise, etc., you need to do the same. If your people see you sending frantic e mails at 10 p.m., they’ll assume they should be connected after hours, too—and their stress levels will remain at unhealthy levels.”
3. Don’t Expect Change to Happen Overnight—Create a Multiyear Plan
Culture doesn’t change overnight, especially given the stigma associated with mental health conditions. When you consider that almost 9 out of 10 of those afflicted would rather suffer in silence than share their condition with work colleagues, it becomes clear that a long-term plan is essential.
“The following tips will identify aspects of what that plan should include,” Cowan notes. “But overall, as they implement their plans, organizations should make sure to regularly assess the impact of stress on employees and how willing they are to share what is happening to them with work colleagues. Some of the United States’ most successful organizations are including these questions in their annual engagement surveys.”
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4. Identify Mental Health Champions
According to Cowan, a mental health champion is someone who is familiar with the organization’s plan and goals, and who is willing to visibly lead change. While it’s important to designate champions at different levels throughout the organization, some should be leaders who have the power to shape organizational policy.
If possible, some should also be individuals who have coped with stress and anxiety and who are willing to share their stories. Seeing that speaking up about mental health issues isn’t met with stigma or disapproval will be instrumental in ensuring long-term cultural change.
“Given that one in four adults experience mental illness in a given year, it’s very likely that most of your employees know someone suffering from a mental health issue, if they haven’t been dealing with one themselves,” points out Cowan. “My point is, employees at all levels of your organization will have experience helping someone (or themselves) cope with a mental health issue and may want to get involved—so finding champions might not be as difficult as you think. Soliciting their input for the design and communication of programs will be central to success.”
5. Create a Variety of Programs and Resources
Mental health is not one-size-fits-all. There should be programs and resources to help employees to stay in the “green zone,” as well as strategies to help those who have slipped into the “red zone.”
“Because of the high level of stigma that still exists, it is essential that programs can be accessed anonymously, as well as in more traditional training settings,” Cowan shares. “Also, be sure to identify processes and procedures within the organization that might be causing unnecessary stress, and change them.”
In tomorrow’s Advisor, Cowan reveals three more strategies, plus we introduce HR & Mental Health, the new online information service from BLR®.