When we think about the long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the workplace, mental health is near the top. Employees have been experiencing burnout at alarming rates. Even with the ability for many to work remotely, it still comes at the expense of their work-life balance.

In a 2021 American Psychological Association survey, 3 in 5 employees said they had experienced negative impacts of work-related stress in the past month. Even the DOL has stated that we are experiencing an “urgent mental health crisis.”

COVID, in many ways, has brought us closer together by building awareness of mental health in general. One thing we are happy to see is an almost explosive increase in conversations in the workplace about mental health and support for employees with mental illness.

One woman who has really made an impact in normalizing conversations about mental health is Natasha Bowman, a two-time author and President of NYC-based leadership development firm Performance ReNEW. She became an icon for mental health in the workplace after a LinkedIn post detailing her own suffering that eventually led to a suicide attempt. In her work as an advocate for mental health and changing corporate culture to include mental wellness, she developed the CARE model, a guide for managers and employees to engage in conversations in the workplace about mental health.

The CARE model includes the following: 

• Concern – Just as managers are concerned when we are physically sick and cannot perform our best, the concern should be the same towards mental illness.
• Awareness - Managers and employees should know that people with mental health conditions are capable, competent, and often confident to continue to meet or even exceed the expectations of their roles.
• Reflect – The employee and manager should reflect on what resources are available and what support would be appropriate.
• Empathy- Managers should put themselves in the person’s shoes to understand how being diagnosed with a mental health condition may affect their day-to-day work experience.

How else can employers help?

In a study done by the Bowman Foundation for Workplace Equity and Mental Wellness, out of the 354 respondents that disclosed a mental health diagnosis, only 27% have disclosed a mental health diagnosis to an employer, and only 25% would feel comfortable disclosing a mental health diagnosis in the future.

So, for the health and well-being of your employees, the CARE model is a good place to start. Just make sure you’re checking in with your employees to see if there’s anything you can provide for them that would make their journey easier. Set the tone for your team, and don’t make them choose between life and work. Show them you understand when things come up, and be empathetic when they come to you with a problem.

Managers can also do training courses, like the Workplace Mental Health certification training for HR.

As an employee benefits administrator, we are always looking for new and better ways to keep our employees engaged and performing their best through the resources available as part of our benefit plan, various trainings available, and flexible working schedules.

 

Let’s talk about it.