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,…
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.
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.
I haven’t started a podcast, though. That might be a bit too far for this introvert. But I’ve been a guest on a few, and I’m always open to being a guest on yours. Those connections can prove invaluable in the era of mass layoffs. I’m thankful to everyone who reads and shares my words with their network. That’s how the community gets built, and we are all better with a community of smart people around us willing to share their knowledge and connections.
Plus, introverts get to participate without competing with the loudest voices at the bar. The internet can provide that for all of us if we are willing to escape the enshittified social media platforms. It’s still there.
Put something into the world and let that work connect you to the audience who needs to see it. It’s like going to a networking event with the whole world.
Workers aren’t ignorant about what their companies do and how their work contributes to the company; they don’t care. Nor should they. Not when the company’s profits can reach astronomical new highs and workers are lucky to get a raise that matches the cost of living increase for that year. Not when we can work our asses off to be successful remotely and continue to make the company all that profit only to be told that we have to come back to the office every day at our own expense. Not when 10% of them got laid off to ensure that the shareholders and CEO’s got theirs.
People aren’t detached from the company because it hasn’t explained what they do correctly. They simply don’t give a flying fuck about a company that hasn’t given a flying fuck about them their entire careers.