Mental health at work during a $%&#ing crazy pandemic
The spotlight on employee mental health is more important than ever before. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a well-deserved shift in the stigma that surrounds mental health transparency, one that has allowed employees to demand further coverage and support for their mental well-being from their employers. It’s no secret that our mindset has been tested significantly over the last few months by work—between the shift to work from home, pay cuts, furloughs, and layoffs—but as we come to terms with the fact that our “new normal” is likely to just be the norm for quite some time, our mental health may struggle to follow suit.
Grappling with a job loss or furlough
As of October 2020, around 12.6 million people nationwide were out of work—whether by furlough, layoff, or choice—and that doesn’t count those whose hours (and pay) were reduced due to COVID-19. A senior economics advisor at Cornell told Marketplace that that number jumps to an estimated 31 million if you include these workers with reduced hours as well as those out of work or unemployed pre-pandemic.
So—a lot of us are in the same boat, or have been throughout the last few months. And despite rationale and reason, it’s easy for our minds to view a job loss as something personal, rather than the result of a large-scale economic crisis. Combatting these thoughts is tough, but refocusing your mind on what you can control during this time can be helpful.
Rely on your support system, including friends & family, to act as your sounding board. It’s cliché, but pay attention to how you talk to yourself. What would you say to a friend in this situation? Now treat yourself as that friend, and let your support system know that you may need a little extra advice and love during this time.
Expend your energy on what you can control, and make time for the things in your life that haven’t changed. Recognize the power of your thoughts and especially your actions throughout this time—practicing gratitude for what you do have despite a job loss, and balancing how much energy you expend and conserve. It may feel productive to apply to 10 jobs per day, but you’re far more likely to reach burnout and the quality of your applications could suffer. Work to find balance and set realistic goals for yourself. And most importantly, be patient.
2. Addressing the stigma
This year’s Census Bureau reported a record 42% of young professionals feeling increased anxiety resulting from the pandemic, and 36% reported feeling depressed. For those that have an underlying mental health condition like a diagnosed anxiety disorder, the compounded effects of COVID-19 can start to feel suffocating and truly affect work performance. Research from April 2020 indicates that employees are working longer than ever before and struggling to balance work & home obligations—and with the added stress of finances, isolation, and potential illness, it’s a recipe for major burnout.
Employers want productive employees, and luckily, many are starting to realize that mental health needs to climb the corporate ladder of priorities to boost productivity. Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health at work can start as close to you as your supervisor or boss—just check out five ways managers can help drive a more empathetic work culture—including by rethinking “sick days” and offering “mental health days” as well as by encouraging open and honest conversation.
3. Navigating working from home
Standard office culture has changed forever, and we’re all grappling with the fact that even post-pandemic, the workplace will look a lot different. A record 62% of employed U.S. adults are working part- or full-time from home, and as a result many are putting in more hours than ever before. This uncertainty and added responsibility are increasing stress and anxiety at record levels, with nearly 85% of people saying their mental health issues at work are negatively influencing their home life.
Employer support for how this shift in lifestyle affects mental health can take multiple forms, including incorporating anonymous wellness and health polls, providing an allotted number of PTO days for mental health, and adjusting health care benefits to include perks like therapy and well-being trainings. While these benefits may seem far from a reality in your workplace, there are steps you can take in the meantime to alleviate stress throughout the week.
Scheduling PTO days or mental health days—just because you need them!
Consider what you can do to carve out time for yourself outside of work. It’s easy to disregard the need for a day off when you can work from anywhere (and the safest thing to do is stay home), but it’s undeniable that the value of a day off or even a stay-at-home vacation is guaranteed to deliver a mental reset.
Build in time for screen breaks
Make time for yourself in the morning and throughout the day to walk, read, talk to a friend, or exercise. If your company permits, block off your calendar during your lunch break to ensure you make time to get up from your desk, refuel, and take your eyes off the screen (if you can avoid using your phone during this time, even better).
Consider investing in online, virtual mental health services during this time
Or even better, look into if your company will provide a stipend or compensate mindset and wellness-focused apps like Calm, Headspace, or virtual counseling services.
Employee mental health affects company productivity and the overall drive to do good work, something all employers want to see rise. Prioritizing mental health should only become more important, and the work many leading companies have taken to reduce the stigma is important—but it’s time for all companies, especially during a global pandemic, to follow suit.
“We need to learn to identify the signs of mental-health issues. We need to have the courage to reach out and have tough conversations with our friends and family members—and get help ourselves when we need it. And we need to recognise that our mental health is just as important as our physical health, and start treating it that way.” - Michelle Obama
