Responsible employers know that employees perform at their best when they’re in good physical and mental health. There is a growing focus on fostering a healthy business culture where work-life balance is prioritized and supports are available for those who may be struggling with mental health challenges. Maintain open communication on mental health and programs available to employees.
Panelists:
Kate Skouteris, vice president, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care New Hampshire market, harvardpilgrim.org
Jim Armillay, attorney, commercial litigation and employment, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., shaheengordon.com
Kate Skouteris, vice president, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care NH
Q: How do I know if my organization is doing enough for mental health?
A: It starts with assessing your workplace’s mental health literacy. By that I mean, the collective understanding and proficiency you have as an organization when it comes to supporting colleague well-being, recognizing mental health challenges and providing a workplace where colleagues feel comfortable having open conversations about mental health. More than ever, many organizations understand the importance of supporting colleague mental health for a thriving workplace culture and for retaining top, diverse talent.
Q: How can we promote a workplace culture of understanding around mental health?
A: Creating a workplace culture of understanding around mental health begins with engagement between team members. When it comes to emotional well-being, are your employees looking out for and advocating for each other? Do managers and team members understand mental health concepts and feel comfortable talking openly about things like self-care, stress and burnout?
It’s important for both employees and managers to have training around social–emotional skills and practicing empathy. They should also know how to recognize and respond to employees who may be facing mental health issues.
Q: How can leaders better support the mental health of colleagues?
A: Creating a workplace culture that promotes awareness and encouragement of mental health support starts at the top. Leadership must strive to support distinct policies, a clear vision and implement strategies that are understandable and achievable by all. This includes openly supporting the well-being of colleagues in the workplace. In addition, it’s important to have T: 9" a clear colleague-centric mental health strategy and communications recognizing their mental health goals.
As a health plan, we know that the first step is to incorporate mental health support into company culture through our benefits program. Enhancing benefit packages with comprehensive mental health options empowers colleagues. Well-being benefits allow colleagues to take care of their whole health and the health of their family.
For Harvard Pilgrim Health Care colleagues and our members, we offer a variety of mental health support to meet people where they are. By providing teletherapy, inperson care and digital tools, we are trying to improve flexibility that helps people to address their mental health in ways that fit their needs and lifestyle.
Q: How can we improve support from colleagues when it comes to our mental health benefits and programs?
A: First, are your colleagues aware of all the mental health offerings included in your benefits package and how to use them? Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the needs of those living with mental illness, released findings from their 2022 Mind the Workplace Report. The report measures perceptions of over 11,000 employees, and the findings show that 38% would be comfortable using their organization’s services for a mental health concern.
From teletherapy to in-person support to digital tools, make sure all your colleagues understand the flexible ways they can access care.
Additionally, mental health literacy among your colleagues means they feel empowered to improve and prioritize their well-being. They should have a solid understanding of self-care strategies and know where they can seek help if and when they need it.
Jim Armillay, attorney, Shaheen & Gordon
Q: In the face of increasing work-related pressures, how can businesses create a culture of work-life balance?
A: American workplace culture in a lot of ways still incentivizes employees who take their work home with them.
Those who stay late or work every weekend are deemed more “dedicated.” Whereas the employee who shuts their computer at 5 p.m. on the dot is considered a slacker, unambitious, or “checked out.” What matters, however, is how productive and engaged employees are while they are working.
To boost employee morale, employers must recognize that their employees have competing demands on their time outside of work that they consider important. When an employer starts from the understanding that their employees do not live and breathe solely to do their job, they are often more open to being flexible with employee needs and building responsible boundaries around working and non-working time. Employees are much more likely to remain with an employer who supports a balanced approach to work.
There are many small things that employers can do to foster this environment, including things like communicating clear expectations around things like employee availability outside of business hours, prioritizing vacation or leave time, or building out employee wellness, mentorship, or peer support initiatives to ensure that employees have access to guidance and resources.
Ensuring that employee benefit plans provide coverage for mental health is another significant step employers can take.
Q: How can businesses proactively foster a workplace environment that prioritizes mental health, providing resources and initiatives that support employee well-being and reduce stress?
A: We now have a much better understanding of the negative effects that prolonged exposure to stress can have on employees mentally, physically and emotionally, as well as the impact that exposure can have on employee satisfaction and productivity.
There is also a much broader acceptance of the concept that mental health is an integral part of employee wellbeing that employers should proactively foster to support and maintain their workforce, especially in a competitive job market.
There are many things that businesses can do to support mental wellness, ranging from cultural changes to more formalized policies. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and employers should take guidance from the employees concerning the kinds of initiatives that could be effective.
Examples of this could run the gamut from smaller things like internal employee wellness initiatives or employer-provided or -subsidized physical fitness programs to developing policies around expanded family leave or flexible scheduling. The key is to be clued into employees’ stress levels and morale, and be proactive.
Q: What can lawyers do to support these initiatives?
A: The employer-employee relationship is a heavily regulated area of the law that changes all the time. Formalizing policies around specific trends in the labor market — like remote or hybrid work arrangements, flex work schedules, etc. — is an effective way for companies to proactively retain and attract talent.
However, many state and federal compliance regulations are imposed on employers, and employers should consult with experienced legal counsel to ensure that they are acting consistent with their various obligations.
Hybrid work arrangements, for example, can be a competitive edge in a challenging job market, but employers need to make sure these arrangements are implemented equally across job classifications and that employees are classified correctly to avoid claims of disparate treatment.
The lawyers at Shaheen & Gordon are well suited to advise employers of all sizes on various legal issues and to work collaboratively to implement creative solutions to employment challenges.
