This Saturday, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day. If there was ever a moment when we needed to focus on mental health issues, it’s now.
Last week, I facilitated a discussion with a group of CHRO’s for CNBC about leading the future of work in their organizations. The near-term mental health of their people was one of their top concerns and for obvious reasons.
Not only are people grappling with the historically unprecedented challenge of working, staying healthy, and managing their lives in a pandemic, but they are facing economic uncertainty, social justice issues, and political unrest all at the same time.
To understand what leaders and each of us as individuals can do to support the mental health in our workplaces, I turned to the expert, Dr. David Ballard. The link to our VIDEO interview is here and below.
Until he recently relocated to Ireland with his family from Washington D.C., David directed organizational excellence initiatives at the American Psychological Association, including the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program. He is also the co-author of the book The Psychologically Healthy Workplace.
Recently, he helped develop an excellent, comprehensive resource for managers in partnership with AXA and Columbia University entitled, “Supporting Mental Health of Employees During and Beyond COVID-19.”
In this incredibly informative, must-listen-to interview, I asked David to share insights and concrete steps managers and individuals can take during this difficult period to encourage and sustain mental well-being and performance. Specifically, we discuss:
- If a manager had to pick three things they could do right now to support the mental health and well-being of their people, what would those three things be?
- What do you wish managers understood about mental health and the impact on the ability of their people to perform and do their jobs well?
- What do you think some of the longer-term benefits of this increased focus on employee mental health could be even after we are on the other side of the pandemic?
- How do individuals leverage work flexibility and prioritize the activities that help them stay healthy…mentally, physically, and emotionally. What are some of the small, meaningful actions you think make the biggest difference?