Thrive: It's time to start talking about mental health everywhere
Mental health myth: We don’t talk about mental health in the workplace. This mindset that mental health is a taboo subject we can’t bring up at work is one that needs to change. It’s time to erase the stigma and normalize talking about mental health everywhere.
Since the pandemic started in 2020, employers across the county have struggled to keep employees and to hire new ones; you may have heard it called The Great Resignation or The Great Retirement. There are many reasons why people are leaving jobs right now. One great way to attract new staff and hold on to the staff members you have is to offer great benefits — including mental health benefits. Employers may want to pay attention in this moment and consider how they handle mental health in the workplace.
Times have been hard since the pandemic. More people report mental health struggles than ever before because it’s been stressful in so many ways since 2020. Many people could benefit from in-person or virtual therapy sessions, but most will not seek out counseling services if their insurance doesn’t cover the cost, or if they are uninsured.
So how can business owners help their employees access mental healthcare? There are several ways: they can offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), access to reading materials and educational resources for staff, offer paid time off for mental health days, host events for mental health awareness and education, and offer things like yoga or meditation sessions during the workday. Simply making employees aware of how they can access mental health services is helpful. Sometimes people don’t take advantage of a service such as an EAP, because they don’t know what it is or how to get access. And we can all agree that insurance companies don’t always make it easy to understand what is covered and how to access care.
Even with the stressors of the pandemic, some employers are still not convinced they should spend more money and time offering mental health benefits to their employees. Maybe they should consider what it costs when they don’t. According to a report from Tufts Medical Center, depression is estimated to account for $44 billion in lost productivity in the workplace. Kristen Martin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Director of Thrive, a nonprofit focused on mental health, says that preventative treatment is best for the individual, but also makes the most financial sense for the business. Preventative care tends to be much less costly than the alternative.
Employers should also talk directly to their staff and take notes on what employees say they want. Many people assume higher pay will improve employee retention, but that’s not always the case. A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation shows that 35% of people surveyed believe mental health benefits are even more important than salary or higher pay.
What if your employer doesn’t offer any mental health benefits? Does that mean you should find another job? Not necessarily. Martin suggests opening the dialogue with your employer to let them know how important mental health benefits are to you. She encourages people to talk about the options that are available and ask if the employer might be willing to incorporate any of those options. Your employer may not be able to make all of these benefits happen, but maybe they could start with one and make a plan to add in more every year or two.
What if you are currently looking for work? You are in a great position to ask questions about mental health benefits during the interview process! It’s a great idea to ask about these offerings right up front because it lets the employer know that mental health is important to you. It is valuable for employers to know that people are looking for mental health benefits and that those benefits are a big part of the decision-making when considering a job. If an employer does not offer any mental health benefits, just being asked about it may be enough to get them thinking that it’s time to make some changes.
Whether you are an employer trying to hire and retain staff, or someone who is hunting for that perfect job, mental health is important. It’s time to look at the options that are available out there and make sure you have access to help if you need it. And it is time to talk about mental health at work; we need to erase the stigma and normalize conversation about mental health so that people will seek help when they need it.
To learn more about the mental health services offered by Thrive, visit the website at www.thrive4health.org.
Tracey Gruver is the Development and Communications Director at Thrive
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Thrive: It's time to start talking about mental health everywhere
