Where Mental Health Depends on CEOs

    mental health survey by ginger

    Most leaders share that they care about their teams. Many of them say they have their finger “on the pulse” of the organization. Do you?

    There is no health without mental health. — David Satcher Share on X

    CEOs Underestimate Mental Health Needs Of Their Employees

    A recent survey by Ginger, a mental health app, showed that there is a gap between how CEOs view the needs of employees vs their employees assessment.

    imageWhat’s interesting about the gap in the figures to the left is that the report states that CEOs reported a high rate of seeking help for their mental health (94%), while employees are less apt to accept help.

    “The average worker is half as likely as CEOs to say their companies are accepting of mental health issues.” (Ginger)

    The topic is a serious one, because it affects the livelihood of people – and, yes, performance at work. “95% of people who received mental health support over the last year reported that it helped them at work.” (Ginger)

    This may not be a day-to-day topic you wrap your mind around. There are goals to achieve, quotas to meet, and decisions to be made. Where does mental health fit in? It’s something for you to think about.

    Wherever you are in your organization, you may not be the decision-maker on policies and health programs. But you are a leader, and you have influence.

    What can you do To Raise Awareness?

    Think about how you can raise awareness within your leadership team. Also consider the impact of mental health on your team and what you can do to support that. Consider a few questions to help close the gap in the numbers above:

    • How can you get a better understanding of your employees’ needs?
    • What support for is available in your organization that you can share with your employees?
    • How does your culture, including what you say, do, or reward, contribute to mental health?

    We are humans, not machines. Talking about what needs to get done without considering our makeup is counterproductive. This taboo-topic is finally gaining attention. It is OK to talk about mental health. It always should have been. Don’t shy away from the conversation by leading with empathy and curiosity where you don’t have the answers.

    Related resources

    Learn more with these resources. Some of these will surprise you if you’re new to the topic.

    • CDC: Mental Health in the Workplace (including success stories) (Article) – 7 min. read
    • Wellbeing in the Workplace (Video) – 23 min.
    • Managing Depression in the Workplace (Course) – 60 min.
    • Hot to Spot the Signs of Mental Illness at Work (Article) – 2 min. read
    • 8 Ways Managers Can Support Employee’s Mental Health (Article) – 5 min. read
    • Busy Is The New Stupid (Article) – 5 min. read
    • What’s Your Sanity Worth? → The Balance ROI Calculator Does The Math

    Here’s to making healthy choices!

    LC#7