Michigan Business Network · Michigan Business Beat | Make Mental Health of Your Employees a Priority

QUESTION: Why is it important for businesses to prioritize their employees’ mental health?
ANSWER: According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the
number of adults with any mental illness has steadily increased over the years and in 2019, one
in five adults in the U.S. experienced mental illness. May is mental health awareness month and
I want to take this opportunity to talk to my fellow leaders in the business community – you
should be prioritizing your employees’ mental health. If more than 20% of our country’s
population has a mental illness, then there’s a good chance at least some of your employees are managing mental illness.

I’ve previously emphasized the importance of creating a culture of wellness in workplaces,
specifically focused on the negative impacts of stress and burnout. Stress and burnout can
result in lower productivity and poor work performance. Like stress and burnout, some mental
health disorders have the potential to negatively affect your employees, their work, and
communication among coworkers.

I believe it is the responsibility of every employer and supervisor to check in on their
employees’ mental health. According to the Center for Disease Control, only 57% of employees
who report moderate depression and 40% of those who report severe depression receive
treatment to control depression symptoms. If leaders prioritized and normalized checking in on
their employees, there’s great potential to lead individuals in the right direction and seek help.

QUESTION: How can employers prioritize their employees’ mental health?
ANSWER: First of all, employers must reflect on the importance of mental health support and
their own mental health. Then, I encourage leaders to go further than encouraging employees
to seek out mental health support: consider offering incentives and support to reinforce healthy
behaviors. Offer to reimburse gym memberships and be sure to emphasize the importance of
work and life integration. As a leader, remember your employees look to you as an example – if and when you take breaks and time off to focus on “recharging,” your employees will be that
much more likely to follow the same practices. That’s why employers and leaders must take the
time to reflect on the importance of mental health support – you should model healthy
behaviors in your own work-life so your employees are likely do the same.

QUESTION: What are some additional steps employers can take to make sure employees
receive proper mental health care and support?
ANSWER: As an employer, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Remember this: you
don’t have to be the one to help your employees through their problems – in fact, it would be
best to outsource mental health assessment and assessment to professionals. So do some
research and share these opportunities with your employees. Some great resources in our
region include the Birch Health Center, Clinton County Mental Health and Addiction Services
, and Community Mental Health, which has locations across Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton counties.

Additionally, I would recommend going an extra mile and looking into the health insurance you
offer to your employees – does it offer mental health services? If not, can you add those
services?

Finally, one of the easiest steps you can take to prioritize your employee’s mental health is to
simply provide a space for your employees to rest and de-stress throughout the day. Whether
it’s a virtual yoga class, walking lunch break, or a quiet conference room where they can take 15
minutes away from their tasks and/or computer.

Creating an environment and workplace where talking about and prioritizing mental health will
have a positive impact on your employee’s job performance and employee retention. Beyond
the positive impact it’ll have on your organization, providing a safe space for employees to talk
about their mental health will make them feel valued as a person, not just as an employee on
the payroll.