Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace

US Chamber of Commerce Foundation | April 29, 2022

How can leaders from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies do more to prioritize mental health? There are opportunities for change in culture, leadership, policy, and much more. Here are a few reasons why you should consider prioritizing mental health in your workplace.

Mental Health Impacts Productivity and Retention

At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we believe that when employees are empowered to live their healthiest lives, they are more engaged at work. We recognize that when companies embrace cultures where employees can thrive, this contributes to productivity and retention too.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy recently joined a panel on MINDing Your Business at our Corporate Citizenship Center’s annual Business Solves Conference. He shared a brief overview of the current state of mental health in the workplace, in addition to tips for business leaders looking to do more:

“One is that it’s always helpful to start with listening and understanding what our employees are thinking, how they’re feeling, what they need.

The second is to recognize that culture change is so much more important, sometimes, than policy change. Shifting how we think about and talk about mental health in the workplace is so important. This is where leadership by example makes such a difference, especially given the stigma, unfortunately, we still have around mental health and wellbeing.

The third is when it comes to the kind of policies and structures we put in place, I think people are looking for more during this time than a bigger paycheck. Poll after poll, people are asked, ‘What are you looking for? Why did you quit your job?’ They come back to things like purpose.”

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To read the entire article at the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation website , visit: Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace