Every year, October 10th is celebrated as World Mental Health Day.
The theme for 2024, “Mental Health at Work,” hits close to home. Globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression. Statistics show that 1 in every 5 individuals suffers from some form of mental health illness symptoms. Anxiety being the most common of them.
We’ve come a long way. There’s no denying that today, we have more awareness and access to mental health resources than we’ve ever had in the past, especially in the corporate world. The ability to talk about stress, burnout, and anxiety without whispering or avoiding eye contact - is a privilege. Yet, I can't help but think about the many workplaces where this privilege doesn’t exist. For many, mental health remains a taboo, spoken about behind closed doors and often goes unacknowledged.
This is where our responsibility as leaders, managers, colleagues, and allies comes into play. It means creating spaces and workplace cultures where people feel they belong and can talk openly, without fear of judgment. It means holding ourselves accountable, ensuring that we aren't just paying lip service to well-being but actively fostering environments where psychological safety and empathy are the norm.
Leaders: It’s your responsibility to set the tone from the top and invest in mental health as a business priority. Your policies, programs and training while holding your managers accountable are directly tied to your employer brand, culture, employee engagement and experience. This is non-negotiable today as your larger population of gen-zers demand this. Being vulnerable and talking about your own struggles will build a culture of belonging and encourage others to do so.
Managers: You are the first line of defense in creating supportive environments. You have a front row seat to the team needs and dynamics. By recognizing signs of burnout, anxiety etc. you can facilitate open channels for communication and support. You lead by creating safe spaces to seek help without fear of retribution or stigma.
Colleagues and Allies: Working in close proximity you could be the first to notice sudden changes in mood, dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care, social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity could be a sign of mental illness. A simple check-in or offering support when someone is struggling can go a long way in creating a workplace where mental health is respected and nurtured by everyone.
Caregivers: For those of us who support others in their mental health journey—whether as family, friends or colleagues, we need to acknowledge and recognize the emotional labor involved. At the workplace, caregivers may need to be vocal of their responsibilities with their managers and colleagues and seek support as needed.
As a society we are still unraveling how to deal with mental health ourselves and how we can support others and we still have a long way to go. Our mental well-being isn't confined to office hours; it intertwines with every facet of our lives, and experiences thus shaping our performance, creativity, connections, and overall contribution at work. Building self awareness and learning coping mechanisms and seeking help when needed, should be a priority for each of us.
