Mental Health & Wellness

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2023 Work in America Survey, 57% of employees surveyed revealed they had been experiencing adverse effects from work-related stress, such as emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation, desire to quit, lower productivity, irritability or anger with coworkers and customers, and feelings of being ineffective. While the bottom line may be your top priority, ignoring your employees' poor mental health can have detrimental effects on the organization. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and as we enter this month, recognizing that mental health fluctuates for everyone is essential. Everyone experiences stress now and again, and our employees are feeling stressed more now than ever. If not managed, stress can lead to poor mental health or even mental illness. 

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) outlined four pillars to help you support your employees experiencing stress and promote a mental health-friendly work environment: 

1. Awareness: Cultivate a culture of awareness by supporting your employees and their needs. Consider training your managers about warning signs, promoting tactics to help employees manage stress, and encouraging your employees to utilize your Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), which is a voluntary program. 

   
   

2. Accommodations: Mental impairments can be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) if they significantly limit one or more major life activities, requiring you to provide accommodations such as additional breaks or remote work opportunities.

   
   

3. Assistance: Encourage your employees to take care of their mental health by providing wellness programs, supporting the use of paid time off, and providing them with resources on strategies to mitigate stress and anxiety. You can provide counseling and other assistance to your employees experiencing personal or professional issues through your EAP. Additional resources for wellness, mental health, and stress management may also be provided by your medical plan carrier.

   
   

4. Access: Ensure your employees know that they can access treatment for mental health illnesses and will not be retaliated against. Under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) and the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), qualifying employees could be granted up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave that they could use consecutively or intermittently for mental health treatment.

   
   

You have an opportunity to support a healthy workforce. If you are looking for other resources regarding mental health support and self-care for your workforce, contact our HR team for more guidance.