May is National Mental Health Awareness Month
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month - which is a good opportunity to highlight the importance of self-care and mental well-being within the nonprofit workforce. Mental health impacts every aspect of our lives, mental health IS health!
Mental health impacts every facet of our lives. Given that we spend most of the week at work, education and support within the workplace is essential. A 2022 report from Mental Health America, Mind the Workplace 2022 Report: An Employer's Responsibility to Employee Mental Health, provided results from a survey of 11,300 employees across 17 industries in the United States between October 30, 2020 – August 31, 2021.
Some of the key findings from the survey:
4 in 5 employees report that workplace stress affects their relationships with friends, family, and co-workers
3 in 5 employees agree that their manager cares about their well-being
2 in 5 employees report that their managers encourage them to take time off when needed
2 out of 3 employees are not comfortable providing feedback to their managers
The overall findings reflect that positive workplace mental health requires investment (i.e., time, intention, and action) from all levels of an organization, including executive leadership, management, and employees.
If you, as a nonprofit leader, are inspired to invest more resources into employee mental health, there are some simple and effective steps you can take today! Below are some tools and resources to get started.
Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit:
https://www.samhsa.gov/programs/mental-health-awareness-month/toolkit
Resources for employers:
https://www.mhanational.org/workplace/mental-health-for-employers
Resources for supporting employees with known mental health conditions:
https://www.mhanational.org/how-can-we-support-employee-living-mental-illness
Center for Workplace Mental Health: