All of these things are interwoven. The people who work for you are human, that’s how we are. We aren’t just a worker for eight hours and then everything else for the rest of our time. We are human 24×7 and our wellbeing affects us in the workplace. The workplace also impacts our well-being.
The reality is that the labor force is diverse, and your employees are as well. There are also going to be a wide range of life issues that they are dealing with. Mental health is one of them, and based on the statistics, someone who works for you is dealing with some form of anxiety, depresssion or some other issue. Wouldn’t it be great, and help employee retention, if they were supported at work?
If you feel burned out a break can help. If you’re feeling stressed some exercise or yoga can help too. But if that’s all the workplace can offer, it’s not going to solve the problem. Taking a long weekend only to return to a job that will now require you to do your normal 45-50 hours of work in 3 days instead of 5 is not a fix. Working all weekend so you can take a three-day weekend next week, is not a sustainable solution.
I know some young folks. I work with some young folks. The stereotype that the younger generations don’t want to work is false, in my opinion. What they don’t want to do is work the same way we have for ages because they recognize that it’s not a sound system.
The point, however, is that when you look at the diversity on your team and consider how to implement solid mental health support systems, don’t forget about the diversity. Don’t assume they all need the same thing. They do not. There are some cultural differences, some unique challenges, and some ways to consider the diverse needs that some of them may have. It’s worth keeping in mind.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that individuals are all different too. Not every Hispanic employee needs the same resources. There’s individual diversity too. Perhaps talking more about it and listening to their needs is the best answer!
Ultimately this is what will define your culture and your employee engagement. Do your actions match your words? It’s not enough to say you care about mental health, diversity, or developing the people who work for you. You had better put something behind that. If you’ve had layoffs recently, don’t expect anyone to believe that you care about these things on your words alone. Those layoffs told everyone in the organization that they were expendable. They could be next, and the only thing that truly matters is how much they make for you. If you care about their growth, wellbeing and being a diverse company, you had better show up with something other than words.
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