May being mental health awareness month, the topic of mental health and resilience at work gained topical social media traction. However, do frantic discussions around the topic only when it’s topically relevant really help in spreading awareness, tackling bias or busting misinformation all year round? Are companies succeeding in building and promoting effective mental health strategies and programs? Where exactly are we when it comes to building work cultures that uphold mental well-being?
According to Gartner researchOpens a new window , more than half of employees (54%) feel that their organization’s well-being programs lack adequate personalization. That’s a worrying statistic. It points to the fact that even though organizations are trying their best, there is often an alignment issue between support and demand. There may also be a clear lack of available choice when it comes to support programs, with only 19% of employees feeling that they have enough programs to choose from and access, even in organizations that provide mental well-being support.
In this month’s editorial review, we look at a few recent articles by our guest authors that focus on spreading mental health awareness, how conversational automation and people analytics can transform mental health at work, and how we can connect and collaborate to build a culture of emotional support at work.
Let’s take a closer look at the articles in the spotlight this month.
How Can People Analytics Transform the Conversation Around Mental Health at WorkÂ
Mayuri Chaudhary, from our editorial team at Spiceworks, discusses how people analytics and predictive analytics can improve mental well-being at work and elevate support systems. It’s crucial to be aware of stressors that affect employees and to acknowledge that individual differences exist in how we perceive and process stress. Different individuals thus have different support needs, and analytics could help bridge the demand-supply gap. Read on to learn more about the need to monitor mental health initiatives and the trends to follow in the recent future.Â
Disconnect To Reconnect
Alert fatigue is real. We live in times where we’ve accepted the constant and continuous bombardment of information. With the usual information overload we deal with amidst all our push notifications, constantly-on gadgets and a 24-hour news cycle, alert fatigue and burnout are omnipresent. Lorrisa May, head of social media and influencer marketing at Molekule, shares why we need to disconnect from our devices and reconnect with ourselves. It’s time to stop rewarding employees for overworking. We need to move away from our always-on culture and start tackling burnout culturally.
The Conversation Automation Revolution
Tools like ChatGPT have turned the public eye onto conversational AI and intelligent chatbots. Anu Shukla, co-founder and executive chairman at Botco.ai, shares how chat AI can enable access to assistance to many more individuals simultaneously.
While challenges around mental and emotional health continue to rise, access to the right kind of assistance remains scarce. Conversational AI can make care and support accessible to more people through virtual sessions. Despite being in its nascency, conversational automation is being enhanced in leaps and bounds, and the guidelines monitoring data storage and usage are being improved as well.Â
Building a Culture that Prioritizes Mental Health
Building a culture of mental health is critical when it comes to attracting, motivating and retaining top talent. Matt Jackson, head of North America at Unmind, discusses three strategies companies can apply tech to drive a culture of mental health.
Employees need more than basic EAPs (employee assistance programs) to thrive – they need an environment that truly understands and supports them and enables them to achieve their true potential. Happiness at work and mental health are not simply points on a checklist – they need to be in focus every day, in every process, every interaction and in the work-life of each employee.
Becoming Mental Health-forward
In today’s fast-paced and demanding work environments, it is crucial to recognize the significance of mental health. Organizations must prioritize the well-being of their employees to foster a thriving and productive workforce. Just as physical health is essential, mental health plays a pivotal role in ensuring employee satisfaction, engagement, and overall success.Â
By creating a culture that promotes psychological safety, encourages open dialogue, and provides necessary resources and support, companies can empower their employees to bring their best selves to work. Recognizing and addressing mental health concerns not only benefits individuals but also contributes to the collective success of the organization. It is time for businesses to invest in the mental well-being of their employees, paving the way for a healthier and more resilient work environment.
Which article did you enjoy reading this month? Let us know what you like reading about on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!
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