Carina Cortez* discusses the importance of leaders looking after their own mental health.
Prioritising my mental health has been critical throughout my adult life.
And, by working with trusted care providers, I’ve made significant progress and I’m getting the treatment I need to deal with my anxiety and depression.
Last year on World Mental Health Day I shared my journey with the hope to inspire more open conversations and destigmatize mental health issues — particularly at work.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything when it upended our lives.
As we continue to navigate through an incredibly unsettling and unpredictable time, I want to shine a spotlight on burnout.
There’s been a lot of news stories lately about burnout — which is more than just feeling ambivalent about work or life.
According to the National Institutes of Health, burnout is most often associated with exhaustion, the inability to cope with challenges, and physical discomforts like pain and an upset stomach.
Many people experiencing burnout begin to feel alienated at work and develop a negative outlook towards their job and colleagues.
The resulting outcome of these symptoms is hardly insignificant for companies.
There is a heavy economic toll.
Depression and anxiety have a significant economic impact with an estimated cost of $1 trillion a year to the global economy in lost productivity, according to a report conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
So, what can be done to improve employee health, happiness and performance?
Awareness to action
A recent survey we did of Glassdoor employees indicated that 60 per cent of our team members are experiencing burnout; a figure mostly attributed to things like constantly being connected and Zoom meeting fatigue.
It may come as a surprise, but the first step we took after completing the survey was to share our findings.
It’s important for employees to know they are not alone and do not need to “put on a smile” when they are struggling.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to burnout, but with some extra personal time, individuals will often turn to what works best for them, whether it’s trying a new workout, taking a hike, a night out with friends, or some time alone.
At Glassdoor, we introduced a global monthly day off — usually a mid-month Friday — so employees get back dedicated and planned time to use however they’d like.
I’m also proud to share that a group of Glassdoor employees created a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) called ADEPT — Advocates for Disability, Education, Partnership, and Talent.
These amazing employees have a clear mission to advocate for people with visible and invisible disabilities, and their important work is creating a lasting impact.
Boundaries
For me, setting boundaries and understanding my own limits are useful to combating burnout.
Working in a highly connected environment, I leverage features such as turning off notifications, blocking my calendar, and turning on my out-of-office messages to protect my time and eliminate reminders to constantly check my device.
I’ve also added blocks of time to my calendar that cannot be scheduled over for things like spending time with my children in the morning and working out.
I make a point to get outside every day, even if only for 5 minutes, without my device to just breathe and notice the world around me.
One current luxury of working from home is an occasional 20-minute nap break, which can be incredibly refreshing, especially after particularly stressful meetings.
Check-ins
With my team, we’ve established a regular practice of check-ins at the start of each meeting to gauge where everyone’s head is and to make space to decompress and get ready for the work ahead.
We also recently tested out a 3-minute grounding meditation to help focus on being fully present together.
While these steps may seem simple on their own, it’s about bringing awareness to our teams that it’s okay to speak openly about how we’re all feeling and our health, to the extent each individual feels comfortable doing so.
Make mental health a priority in the workplace
I long for the day when we consider “whole person health” rather than separating out physical and mental health.
In the meantime, mental health must be a top priority for every employer.
In a 2020 study of 1,000 American workers, 80 per cent said they would consider quitting their current position for a job that focused more on employees’ mental health.
What’s more, the WHO finds that for every dollar invested in scaled-up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity, so it’s in both employers’ moral and financial best interests to invest in mental health resources to support their people.
If you’re looking for more information about a company’s mental health benefits, Glassdoor can be an essential resource.
Just enter in a company name, scroll to their Benefits section, and view the Insurance, Health & Wellness category to see how employees feel about mental health/wellness benefits and offerings.
There was a time when I struggled to acknowledge that I needed to get help.
Sharing my mental health journey with my colleagues and the world and leading teams that are working to empower millions of employees to put their own mental health first have been some of the most meaningful moments of my career.
I’m inspired and encouraged every day by the progress we’ve made and even more excited about what’s to come as we work to give employees more personalized and transparent information to find a job and company they love.
*Carina Cortez Carina Cortez is Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer for Glassdoor.
This article first appeared at glassdoor.com.
