“We’ve seen a marked increase in employers who are looking for resources and support to help their employees with mental health and wellness,” said Stephanie Keinath, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Area business leaders told the Dayton Daily News they are now offering access to things like on-demand counseling and therapy sessions to subscriptions for meditation and mindfulness apps, personal fitness resources and other tools that can provide some immediate support.
Five years ago that was not as prevalent in the workplace.
In a national survey, 92% of the workers surveyed said it is very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that provides support for and values their emotional and psychological well-being, an American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey found.
Midmark Corp., a local manufacturer of medical, dental and veterinary equipment, recently announced it has partnered with the Center for Personal Wellness to offer mental wellness check-ins as part of the Midmark wellness program.
On its Versailles campus, Midmark maintains an onsite wellness center that supports the regular health and wellness needs of teammates, the company said.
The new mental wellness check-ins is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to increase awareness with its teammates of the importance of mental health, the company said.
“As a leader in the healthcare industry, we are committed to enhancing the care experience for our teammates and their families; this includes helping ensure they get the support they need,” said Sue Hulsmeyer, chief people and administrative officer at Midmark.
Midmark’s mental wellness check-ins are designed to help eliminate barriers and stigma that may prevent individuals from seeking assistance.
“What can be most challenging around mental health is battling the stigma, internalized fear and social isolation that people feel,” Keinath said. “There are very few of us who haven’t experienced a mental health challenge at one point or another, and certainly the pandemic normalized many of those feelings.”
It can still be daunting to talk to someone when you’re feeling alone, stressed and overwhelmed, she said.
“The workplace may be the only point of connection in a person’s day, so to a certain extent, a supportive workplace can truly be a lifeline to those who are struggling,” Keinath said.
Henny Penny, a food preparation equipment manufacturer in Eaton, opened its own wellness facility late last year. The nearly $10 million project resulted 26,165-square-foot, with spaces dedicated to employee wellbeing, featuring an expanded 3,500-square-foot clinic and a 4,000-square-foot fitness room.
“This project isn’t our largest in square feet, but we consider it the most meaningful,” Rob Connelly, Henny Penny CEO, said in December. “It has the potential to impact and transform our employee-owners’ lives in so many ways, now and for generations to come.”
Employee assistance programs are a tool frequently used by employers of all sizes and industries, Keinath said, and what those programs might include has evolved over the years.
Employers need to attract and retain talent, so many companies are looking at how their policies and procedures in the workplace can support the “whole person,” Keinath said.
“From a workplace culture perspective, and the critical need to retain talent, it is important for employers to prioritize mental health supports and help prevent burnout,” she said.
The American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey found that 95% of workers surveyed said it is very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that respects the boundaries between work and nonwork time.
While an employer can’t fix employees’ stressful home or personal lives, an employer can help create an environment in the workplace that recognizes those challenges, Keinath said.
“More than anything, employers prioritize mental health because they realize that employees aren’t robots. Even routine life and family obligations are complex and require a lot of juggling,” Keinath said.
For employers who looking to help their workers’ with their mental health, Keinath recommended they can start small, such as offering awareness training for supervisors.
“For employers of all sizes, training around mental health awareness for front line supervisors can be low or no-cost, and can make all the difference in recognizing and addressing mental health issues in the workplace,” Keinath said.
Leaders also need to model the wellness behaviors that support mental health, Keinath said.
Employees need to see leaders taking time off, unplugging and putting guard rails around always being “available,” Keinath said, so their employees know that they can take those same steps, too.
Creating an environment where open and honest communication is encouraged can be another way to help prioritize mental wellness, she said.
“Supervisor and employee communication is critical, but another tactic is creating peer groups, employee resource groups or other spaces where employees can speak candidly about what is on their mind,” Keinath said.
“Casual check-ins with those who you may not see on a daily basis can keep those lines of communication open, so that when a mental health challenge may arise, employees don’t feel like they have no one to turn to,” she said.
By the numbers
- 15% : Working-age adults estimated to have a mental disorder in 2019
- 12 billion: Working days world-wide that are lost every year to depression and anxiety.
- 92%: Workers who said it’s very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being.
- 95%: Worker who said it’s very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that respects the boundaries between work and nonwork time.
Source: World Health Organization, American Psychological Association survey.
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