BOARD PERSPECTIVE
BY LORI SNIDER , EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR
I ’ m OK … You OK ?
Evaluating , protecting and encouraging your team ’ s mental wellness
The last year and a half have not been good for mental wellness . The pandemic and its resulting lay-offs , remote work , onsite work , work where the rules changed daily , the “ stay 6 feet away ” habit ( both emotionally and physically ) the incessant roller coaster of safety vs . threat , isolation and for many , loved ones who became sick or died , have taken their toll on cumulative mental health .
Research by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence found that 2020 was the most stressful year people have ever experienced in their working lives . Some notable findings : 78 percent of the workers surveyed indicated the pandemic negatively impacted their mental health , 76 percent said companies should be doing more to protect workers ’ mental health and 85 percent said newfound work-related stress is affecting their home lives .
But wait , there ’ s more . This has not only been a pandemic phenomenon . According to John Hopkins research :
• An estimated 26 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about 1 in 4 adults — is affected by a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year .
• Many people live with more than one mental disorder at a given time . In particular depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with substance abuse and anxiety disorders .
• Approximately 9.5 percent of American adults ages 18 and over will be affected by a depressive illness ( major depression , bipolar disorder or dysthymia ) each year .
The trouble is nobody talks about it .
If an employee breaks a leg there ’ s little shame in expecting rehabilitation time , work environment accommodation , possibly a flexible schedule and a host of empathetic teammates ready to run errands and sign the cast . The employee may be embarrassed at how the injury occurred , but a broken leg is not , for most , so shameful they would attempt to hide their condition ( despite obviously having a difficult time doing so ).
Not so when it concerns the health of the brain , the body ’ s most important organ . The employee may have difficulty coming forward due to concerns over how co-workers and supervisors may perceive them . Some mental disorders result in a struggle to recognize something wrong or allow personal acceptance of an individual ’ s mental health issues . Mostly though , mental disorders are stigmatized to a degree unlike other bodily disabilities or challenges . “ Psycho ,” “ nuts ,” “ crazy ” and “ disturbed ” are some of the most common descriptions used to describe those living with mental disorders , and it is not unusual for people to fear and steer clear of the individual affected by a mental health issue .
This combination of factors is likely to impact team engagement , productivity , efficiency and overall team wellness . As an employer , what can you do ?
6 | TRENDS OCTOBER 2021 www . aamdhq . org