A place for mental health in the work place

Work to live and live to work. An American standard. American’s notorious lack of balance between their personal and professional lives increases stress, burnout and reduces efficiency and morale in both areas of life. The dread upon returning to work on Monday mornings and the fear upon checking work emails is impacting individuals to their core. It deteriorates the sanctity at home and perpetuates poor habits and attitudes at work.

Mental health is no more than buzz words in the majority of offices. While some offices offer mental health services through their insurers, it is often insufficient sessions, entails a long waiting list, and employees often choose not to participate based on fear of discovery.

There is nowhere to turn. The CDC reported that in 2021 suicide rate among U.S. persons of working age is approximately 33% higher than it was 2 decades ago. These rates continue to climb. Mental Illness is a pandemic. Mental health care is long past due in the workplace. While the priority should be the staff’s health, there is an evident, inevitable ulterior motive: staff retention.

We no longer live in a world in which the majority of employees stay loyal to a company from 18-65. The phrase “people don’t leave work because of work; they leave work because of managers” has never been truer. The tension and toxicity of an office will continue to soar as individuals’ mental health declines.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimated that more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (59.3 million in 2022; 23.1% of the U.S. adult population). There is a hidden underlayer in every workplace, whether it be virtual or in-person, of suffering. This internal suffering is impacting not only the individuals’ livelihood, but their ability to good coworkers and producers. By curating a workplace wellness routine and standard, an amelioration of teamwork and efficiency is fated. With that, comes an environment of people who feel cared for and thus remain loyal, dedicated, and diligent.

In their 2022 workplace report, Gallup, discovered that unprecedented rates of dissatisfaction, disengagement and unhappiness. 60% percent of people reported being emotionally detached at work and 19% as being miserable. Thus, not only are about 1/5 people struggling with a mental health challenge, 1/5 are also dejected. How can we expect any standard of work when our workers are suffering?

This is not a stalemate situation. There are alternatives that will lead to the betterment of workers. Workers that come happy and leave happy. It almost feels ludicrous to imagine a “happy” work environment, and well, that is ludicrous.

So, what is the move? Move towards a higher standard of mental wellness. Replace hopeless team-building meetings with mental health workshops, professional counselor check-ins, a curated office environment, and more flexible office hours.

There is a place for mental health in the workplace. There are countless ways to start. But start soon.

Marki Kaim, LMSW