mental health in the workplace is to promote a culture that values open communication. One way to do this is to make mental health literacy training mandatory for all employees, including training managers and supervisors to recognize signs of distress and encouraging their employees to seek help. More than 33 percent of respondents who reported good mental health said they felt comfortable discussing personal needs with their supervisor or manager. Millennials were the most likely to have discussed their mental health with their employer (74.5 percent), followed by Gen Zers (70 percent), Baby Boomers (63.9 percent), and Gen Xers (59 percent). Fewer women (66.7 percent) had done so compared to men (72.4 percent). Employers are responsible for making the workplace feel like a safe space to discuss mental health, and some of the ways Jobslist researchers suggest doing that include showing compassion for employees; keeping the line of communication open between C-level, manager/supervisor and employees; offering flexible schedules; allowing employees to choose their work location; and modeling good boundaries between bosses and employees, such as restricting emails/calls after hours or on day offs. If employers don’t pay attention to mental health issues in their workplaces, there could be consequences, according to the Jobslist survey. For example, 28.5 percent Gen Xers said they were somewhat likely to accept a job with lower pay in exchange for better mental health benefits. Only one of four Baby Boomers said they were somewhat unlikely to do the same, while 35.3 percent of themwere somewhat likely to take the lower pay in exchange for better mental health benefits. Nearly half of those rating their mental health as poor said they were likely to look for a new job in the next six months. According to respondents, one out of five millennials said they were extremely likely to change jobs due to the lack of mental health support offered by their employer. Building Awareness Regardless of the organization, employees show they increasingly are becoming more concerned with how their work impacts their mental health. Younger generations are more likely to advocate for their mental health than previous generations, and they expect their employers to respond. After all, there is only so much employees can do on their own to support themselves. It’s up to employers to foster a healthy culture that supports employees’ needs. Allowing flexible schedules, showing compassion for their employees, or ensuring that employees are comfortable discussing their needs are only a few ways in which employers can support their teams, in addition to making employees feel valued, comfortable and ensuring that their mental health is supported. For these reasons, it is also important to make sure that mental health is not stigmatized in the workplace, and that employees are given the resources and support they need to work in an ever-changing world. J RESOURCES Top Ways Employers Can Promote Mental Health at Work Source: Joblist survey Source: Joblist survey How Was Your Mental Health Impacted by Working From Home? Source: Joblist survey Positively No impact Negatively 7.6% 11.3% 81.1% Allow flexible schedules Most Common Most Eective Show compassion for employees Make employees feel comfortable discussing needs Allow flexible work locations Communicate regularly with employees Be inclusive of all employee needs Allow additional time o Make time for fun or connections Make HR readily available Invest in ergonomics and wellness Create multiple opportunities for growth Check in with employees about mental health Help to reduce stress Include therapy of counseling in company insurance 37.1% 35.8% 31.5% 32.5% 31.3% 33.2% 30.6% 30.1% 29.7% 31.7% 27.4% 28.3% 26.6% 27.8% 25.0% 26.8% 24.9% 26.3% 24.4% 25.9% 23.9% 24.4% 22.3% 22.6% 21.7% 22.6% 20.0% 19.8% 40 REMOTE WORK SOLUTIONS rwsmagazine.com
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