US Surgeon General releases new framework on mental health in the workplace

The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a framework that outlines the foundational role employers should play in promoting mental health and well-being in the workplace.

The 48-page document is broken up into five sections, dubbed “essentials,” to help organizations develop, institutionalize and update policies, processes and practices that best support mental health. The report comes on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the nature of the workplace and employees’ relationship with their jobs, according to an HHS press release

“A healthy workforce is the foundation for thriving organizations and healthier communities,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, said in the release. “As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, we have an opportunity and the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being, and this [document] shows us how we can start. It will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show workers that they matter, make space for their lives outside work and support their growth. It will be worth it because the benefits will accrue for workers and organizations alike.”

The guidance cites recent surveys, which showed:

• 76% of American workers in 2021 reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition, an increase of 17 percentage points in 2 years.
• 81% of American workers reported that they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future.
• 84% of American workers reported at least one workplace factor that has a negative impact on their mental health.

The framework document is broken up into five essentials.

Essential 1 is “Protection from Harm,” which cites the following ways employers can create conditions for physical and psychological safety for ensuring mental health and well-being in the workplace:

• Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety;
• enable adequate rest;
• normalize and support focusing on mental health; and
• operationalize diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility norms, policies and programs.

Essential 2, “Connection and Community,” suggests how employers can foster positive social interaction and relationships in the workplace to support wellbeing:

• Create cultures of inclusion and belonging;
• cultivate trusted relationships; and
• foster collaboration and teamwork.

Essential 3, “Work-Life Harmony,” focuses on the employer’s role in mitigating work and non-work conflicts that accompany professional and personal roles:

• Provide more autonomy over how work is completed;
• make schedules as flexible and predictable as possible;
• increase access to paid leave; and
• respect boundaries between work and non-work time.

Essential 4, “Mattering at Work,” recognizes that knowing you matter can lower stress, and feeling like you don’t matter can increase the risk of depression. To better assure a “culture of mattering” in the workplace, employers can:

• Provide a living wage;
• engage workers in workplace decisions;
• build a culture of gratitude and recognition; and
• connect individual work with organizational mission.

Essential 5, “Opportunities for Growth,” recognizes that workers become more optimistic about their abilities and more enthusiastic about contributing to the organization. Employers can support this by:

• Offering quality training, education and mentoring;
• fostering clear, equitable pathways for career advancement; and
• ensuring relevant, reciprocal feedback.

The framework document is a guide to call attention to a public health issue, developed to help the American public better understand and address factors that affect mental health, the HHS release stated. It includes evidence-informed practices that leadership across workplaces of varied sizes and industries can apply to reinvigorate their organizations.

References:

The U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health & Well-Being. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/workplace-mental-health-well-being.pdf. Published Oct. 20, 2022. Accessed Oct. 20, 2022.