三和一善 メンタルヘルスを支える職場文化
4 Ways to
Cultivate a Workplace Culture That Supports Mental Health
The
psychologist said employees expect more support for their mental health, and
employers must respond to this demand if they want to retain top talent.
The mental
health of U.S. workers is spiraling as the global pandemic unfolds. Research
released by the Conference Board shows that the vast majority of employees
(nearly 80%) are concerned about their mental health, with more than
three-quarters citing stress and burnout as their biggest challenges.
Amid this
troubling news, one thing is clear: Organizations must rethink their role in
helping to protect the mental health of employees. According to McKinsey &
Company, the required shift in understanding is nothing less than a
"revolution." As employee expectations grow about how companies can
support their mental health, employers must respond to this demand if they want
to retain top talent.
As a
psychologist and coach, I've identified what I call the "4Cs" that
help organizations better address the mental health needs of their employees:
Commitment, Culture, Care, and Community.
promise
To ensure
that leadership teams are committed to supporting employee mental health,
employers must first fully understand why this goal is important. While this
area may seem "sensitive" to some managers at first glance, the truth
is that failing to adequately address employee concerns about mental health can
significantly impact an organization's long-term talent development and
retention.
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A 2021 study
by mental health platform Ginger found that current employees consider mental
health and wellbeing "very important" when considering potential
employment opportunities. According to a PwC report, this consideration may be
especially important for organizations with millennial or Gen Z employees, as
these groups say their mental health is their top priority.
If your
organization is in financial dire need, consider that company losses due to
employee mental health issues are significant and failure to provide mental
health and wellness benefits can be costly. Sapien Labs reports that in the US:
Major
depression alone costs organizations $31 billion to $51 billion in lost
productivity each year.
An employee
with depression pays the organization $10,000 per year for health insurance,
compared with an average of $4,584.
Employees
with major depressive disorder miss an average of 27 days per year.
By investing
$1 per year in prevention and intervention programs that support mental health,
employers can save $2 to $4 in other costs.
Recruitment
and rehire costs average $4,000 per employee.
As you
consider how much your organization is willing to invest in improving its
support for employee mental health, keep in mind that implementing a mental
health strategy and providing health-related supports and services may require
not only financial resources, but organizational change or employee Assignment
and training.
culture
Employers
must create an organizational culture that eliminates mental health issues
while regulating and encouraging help-seeking behavior. Changing the culture of
any organization requires long-term commitment, strategy, and concerted effort.
To understand how to effectively respond to a cultural shift, start by
assessing your current culture by asking the following questions:
What are the
most pressing mental health issues for employees?
How
comfortable are employees in expressing mental health concerns to colleagues
and managers?
How much do
employees know about the company's mental health benefits and services?
Do employees
feel that their managers understand and support their mental health issues in
the work team?
What mental
health-related resources do employees use most often? Which services and
benefits do they find most helpful?
This
assessment should create a baseline for management to understand the level of
mental health problems of its employees. These findings can then inform
decisions about changes or increases in employee mental health products and
benefits, keeping in mind that mental health support is not one-size-fits-all
and attitudes and behaviours around seeking help for mental health vary by
gender, age, and industry.
Care
Next,
organizations must consider which types of support will be most effective in
terms of prevention and intervention.
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