How and Why to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace

Here are five charts on why talking about mental health is so hard, why it's worth paying attention to worker mental health, and what companies can do to make workers feel heard.

Talking about mental health is hard. Talking about mental health in the workplace is even harder.

Is the workplace even the right place to talk about mental health? According to a new NAMI/Ipsos poll, workers are open to it – and doing so may help create a workforce that’s less burnt out and more productive.

Below are five charts on why talking about mental health is so hard, why it’s worth paying attention to worker mental health, and what companies can do to make workers feel heard.

1. It starts at the top. Workers who feel their executives and manager cares about them are much more likely to be open to talking about mental health with coworkers. When it comes to creating a culture where mental health is a priority, manager and executive culture starts first.
2. Combatting the stigma is key. What keeps people from talking about mental work at health? The stigma is the most-cited reason why. But simply starting the conversation about mental health is another way to get the ball rolling – nobody wants to be the only one talking about mental health.
3. Prioritizing mental health helps productivity. Here’s why prioritizing mental health is important: when workers feel their company prioritizes mental health, burnout drops and fewer feel their productivity drops. Prioritizing mental health is more than just a way to show workers you care – it’s a way to keep them engaged.
4. What is important vs. what workers know about. Employees say a few benefits, like sick days for mental health and flexible work arrangements, could go a long way toward creating a positive work culture, but only about half of employees say they are offered. Reimbursements for fitness and wellness/meditation apps are other under-offered areas.
5. Trainings can help support openness. Would trainings be helpful? A majority of workers say yes. Almost all workers feel trainings about mental health coverage, stress and burnout management, or communicating with coworkers could help support mental health in the workplace.

The workplace isn’t typically thought about as a place to talk about mental health. In fact, the data also shows that workers are far more willing to talk about mental health with friends and family over managers and executives.

But if you’re looking to create a workforce that’s less burnt out, more productive, and less willing to consider quitting, combatting the stigma behind talking about mental health in the workforce goes a long way.

This article originally appeared on Ipsos.