Healthcare Leaders Must Lead Mental Health Discussions in the Workplace — Here’s Why (And How)
From the White House to sectors throughout our society, mental health — prioritizing it, talking about it and understanding it — has become a growing pillar of well-rounded workplace environments. Yet, the reality is we have a long way to go.
A Deloitte report found that "two-thirds of women don’t feel comfortable discussing mental health at work or disclosing mental health as the reason for taking time off." Almost three-quarters of U.S. employees feel mental health conversations are appropriate, but only 58% feel comfortable actually having them. The same study reveals that a surprising number of senior-level employees (7 out of 10) "have not received workplace training about how to talk to their team about mental health." According to a 2023 survey that underscores the importance of mental health, "90% of Americans feel we are in a mental health crisis." In an industry like healthcare, where burnout is more the rule than the exception, cultivating a culture that promotes positive mental health practices is of utmost importance.
The Value of Prioritizing Mental Health
By removing the stigma associated with mental health, healthcare leaders are also creating value in a multitude of ways:
Aiding in Employee Recruitment and Retention
When your top executives are setting a positive mental health example, your healthcare system builds a reputation as a desirable place to work. The result is attracting top talent and developing a tenured workforce.
Fostering Innovation and Quality Patient Care
By leading with a person-first mentality, employees don’t see your establishment as just a place to work. They are more likely to become invested in their contributions as part of the whole and to go above and beyond. They feel empowered to speak up about what they need and where there are opportunities for improvement. This can foster innovation in medical practices and methodologies and a commitment to high-quality care.
Strengthening the Resilience of the Organization
A mentally healthy workforce is adaptable to the ever-changing nature of healthcare and the inevitable turbulence of the industry. This equates to an overall resilience and ability to thrive in complex environments.
Create a Culture of Supporting Mental Health
Culture shifts start at the top. When leaders set the standard for behaviors like maintaining work-life balance, vocalizing their own battles with stress and overwhelm, and encouraging employees to put their well-being first, they create a ripple effect that carries throughout the organization.
Here’s how leaders can amplify the importance of mental health in the workplace:
Develop Comprehensive Training Programs
It’s one thing to talk about mental health. It’s another to keep it at the forefront of your organization’s day-to-day. Thoughtful training programs should help leaders understand the importance of mental health, how to talk about it with their teams and how to identify mental health struggles. Comprehensive training equips all leaders — especially middle-level leaders who have a significant impact on culture — to prioritize mental health with the employees they lead.
Incorporate Mental Health into Benefits Packages
From establishing employee assistance programs and offering mental health days as part of your leave policy to making mental health professionals available to your people, look for opportunities to enhance the benefits your organization provides. Further, ensure they are easy to access. Set up human resources/operations support to help employees with questions.
Establish a Culture of Openness and Respect
The more mental health becomes part of meeting discussions, organization-wide announcements and team-building initiatives, the more your workforce will grow comfortable with the topic. What you focus on expands. The front-loaded effort will pay off in the long run. Along the way, ask for feedback through surveys, direct conversations or other data collection methods. If your efforts aren’t helpful, or employees don’t resonate with them, it’s time to pivot.
The Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace
In the aftermath of the most significant health crisis in generations, Covid-19, we have a cohort of healthcare professionals who have experienced tremendous stress and trauma. It is not enough to applaud our healthcare workers; as leaders, we must go deeper. By implementing workplace policies that address mental health, demonstrating healthy behaviors and keeping mental health at the forefront of leadership strategy, executives can create environments where employees thrive both personally and professionally.