This is a good reminder of how we can all help anyone dealing with layoffs, job stress, anxiety, etc. After I was laid off in 2023, one of the best things I had going for me was my network. There were people who connected me with people, offered to chat, texted me to check in,…
So much of Copilot is work behind the scenes. The $30 per month cost per license is just the icing on the AI cake. The actual cost of ownership is the work involved in Information Governance and Security, planning, training, etc. You should never forget that when integrating any new technology, especially with AI.
If your employees don’t feel safe, all the policies and resources in the world won’t matter. Having good mental health benefits is great, but making the environment safe for employees who take advantage of them is better.
In my opinion, most managers are in an untenable position. The people reporting to them are expected to be engaged, productive, and successful. That requires managers who care about them and provide flexible solutions that block any obstacles to their work being done in an engaged and productive way.
But wait—the C-suite is one of those obstacles! Layoffs, ridiculous RTO mandates, demands to “do more with less,” and a focus on shareholder profits above everything else don’t encourage employee engagement. They destroy it, but managers are expected to toe the line and support what’s happening.
That seems pretty stressful to me.
When we refer to women as “DEI hires,” what we are really saying is that we aren’t secure enough in our own accomplishments to let someone else shine. I imagine Carl would be embarrassed of us. I suppose the idea that we must diminish any woman’s achievements would be utterly unacceptable to the man who spent 60 years married to one of the most famous women in the world without ever feeling the need to grab the spotlight for himself.
We need examples like that. Carl Dean was one.
RIP
Those are just the reasons why many with supportive workplaces would be reluctant to talk about mental health at work. We also know that many workplaces are not supportive at all. In the era of the current administration pushing hard against DEI policies, workplace accommodations, and the mass layoffs happening all across the economy, why would we bring attention to ourselves and our mental health? Too many employers are looking for a reason to fire employees, and a mental health struggle might be one.