Workplace policies that support mental health and create a
culture of inclusion
Regardless of where an individual sits in the chart of Fig. 1, I’d like
to ask that we all work together to come up with solutions to make the
workplace less toxic and more supportive of positive mental health. I
promise that doing so will create an environment that is more inclusive,
meaning that those who have been traditionally marginalized by having
mental illness (and especially those with intersecting identities in
terms of race, gender, and so on) will be able to have a seat at the
table. I’m not advocating for drastic changes in the workplace; small
changes can go a long way toward promoting the good mental health of the
members of an organization.
Note also that I am primarily speaking to the leadership of
organizations. These individuals generally have the power to make changes
to workplace policies and are generally responsible for resolving
conflict. These individuals have a lot to gain by promoting positive
mental health because a healthy workplace is more likely to be
productive, innovative, and collaborative, meaning that the organization
will thrive under these conditions.
The following recommendations are based largely on my personal
experience as a faculty member at the University of Michigan. While my
experience is limited to academia, you can see that my recommendations
can apply to nearly any work environment.
- Change what defines success. Understand that success can look
different for different people and that all members of the
organization have something to contribute. Service should be based on
the hours put in and the outcomes. It should not be viewed as
secondary (or supplementary) to research.
- Be flexible with in-person attendance requirements when
possible. One thing we’ve learned during the pandemic is that people
can successfully carry on with most business from the comforts of
their homes. This is a game-changer from a mental health standpoint
because it allows people to have greater control over their work
environment and they can put the time they’d normally spend on
commuting toward self-care, whether that means an extra thirty minutes
of sleep or the freedom to dress down for a day.
- Respect weekends and vacation time. Employees need time off
from work to recover and come back with fresh ideas and perspective.
Allow employees to have a break from phone calls and emails when
possible so that time away from work is really a break.
- Be flexible with what constitutes the work day. In the U.S.,
8am to 5pm Monday through Friday is the standard work week, but those
hours are not optimal for everyone. Giving the flexibility for an
employee to start later (e.g., 10am to 7pm) or shorten the work week
to four days can allow that individual to balance their personal life
better, which will lead to positive mental health outcomes.
- Address toxic work environments. If bullying, harassment,
discrimination, or conflict arise, deal with them immediately. Seek
outside help if necessary. Allowing a toxic environment to persist
will negatively impact the mental health of everyone in the
organization.
- Create a culture that values diversity and promotes equity and
inclusion. A workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion
(DEI) may focus on supporting those who are traditionally
underrepresented but benefits the workplace as a whole.
By creating flexibility, the workplace automatically becomes more
accommodating to people who are struggling with mental health,
especially those with mental illness. This is because it allows these
individuals to structure their work week around their optimal times for
productivity. Many people don’t realize that people with mental illness
often have to take medications that are sedating, or their sleep is
regularly disrupted. Sometimes that hour saved on the commute can mean
the difference between a good day and a bad day.