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A century ago, workers’ rights were front and center in national discussions. Facing relentless work hours, dangerous and inhumane conditions, and minuscule wages, the people were getting ground to dust by their jobs. Advocates began speak up and push for change. Even if they didn’t use these words exactly, reformers understood the strong connection between mental health and the workplace.
Protests rose up in nearly every industry as people demanded a safe and humane workplace. Eventually, it became too much for politicians to ignore. To regain the public’s trust and get workers to resume their labor, a bunch of concessions got passed into law.
They introduced the 40 hour work week, including weekends. No longer could employers demand workers give their every waking moment to a job. Legislators decided that kids shouldn’t be expected to work, and they passed child labor laws. Incredibly dangerous environments, like meat factories, now had to be regulated to ensure workers’ safety. These accomplishments became the crowned jewels of what’s now called the Progressive Era. In the United States, we celebrate their triumphs and struggles on the first Monday of every September.
Reformers at the time expected change to continue. In fact, many suspected thirty hour work weeks were right around the corner. But alas, for many different reasons, that movement stalled out over the last forty years. Good jobs closed up shop. Wages stagnated. More and more, people have had to work multiple jobs, considerably more than forty hours, just to make ends meet.
But now conversations around labor are heating up again. Many employers wring their hands worrying about “giving too much” and damaging their businesses’ bottom lines. However, they might be missing the fact that it’s in their interest to have happy workers, too. Study after study shows that their employees’ mental health is critical to their quality of work.
Good Mental Health in the Workplace = Better Work
When somebody asks “How are you doing?”, people often respond by talking about how work is going. Breaking news: our jobs influence how we’re feeling. Our environments shape our thoughts and emotions. Dynamics in the workplace contribute to our overall mental health.
This relationship goes both ways, though. Being mentally unwell dampens productivity. For example, according to the CDC, “depression interferes with a person’s ability to do physical job tasks about 20% of the time and reduces cognitive performance about 35% of the time.” Undue stress caps the brain’s ability to process things. Somebody in poor mental health may not fully engage in the workplace either. If somebody feels sad or anxious, they probably won’t talk much with their coworkers or push extra hard on a project. I wrote all about burnout in this other article (click here), but let me give you the bottom line here: burnout sucks! It takes serious time and energy to recover.
There’s also the question of longevity. If a workplace’s problems drag down a person’s mental health, they’ll probably quit. Turnover hurts on multiple levels. Not only do employers have to go through the whole hiring process again, they also lose good people and their accumulated experience. Brain drain sinks companies.
Even if managers and owners don’t always see it, managing their employees’ wellness is in their best interest.
How to Improve the Workplace
In recent years, people started reevaluating their relationship with work. This movement has come to the surface in a lot of ways, as seen in Occupy Wallstreet, the Fight for Fifteen, and the Great Resignation. A few suggestions have made their way to the surface on how the workplace can improve workers’ mental health.
Pay people a living wage.
This pyramid might look familiar to you.
This represents psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. He lays out the steps needed to reach the pinnacle of a person’s capabilities.
Check out the foundation of the pyramid, labeled as the “basic needs.” Notice a theme? Food, water, warmth, rest, security, and safety all require resources. How does one access resources? Money.
In order to produce the best work possible, a person must make enough money to get their basic needs met. Employers who don’t pay their workers fairly will in turn get worse production.
Ensure reasonable work conditions
Security and safety also fall in line with a person’s basic needs. If a person has to worry about their environment, they’ve got less brain space to do their work. In the United States, we fortunately have a decent amount of rules protecting workers’ health. Sadly, though, many workers are still subject to dangerous work conditions.
The workplace must protect employees’ mental health, too. When people get massive assignments, the sheer logistical problems keep people from doing their best work. Work culture comes into play as well. If somebody feels vulnerable to discrimination or retaliation, they’re unable to maintain a sense of security. Open and inclusive discussions between bosses and workers can seriously improve the workplace.
Build space for a better work-life balance.
Workers must have their psychological needs met to thrive. This means that people should have the time and mental bandwidth to engage in their relationships and communities.
If you look around, you’ll see a lot of solutions to this improving work-life balance. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic showed everybody many of the benefits of working from home. Forget long commutes– that time can be better spent cooking dinner or chatting with a loved one. For the longest time, bosses snubbed work-from-home models out of fear people would slack off. While a few people may slack off outside of the office, there’s now overwhelming evidence that workers are more productive at home.
The possibilities don’t end there. Other countries find great success with giving their workers more time off. Italy, for example, mandates people get at least four weeks off every year. Every developed country outside of the United States also requires companies to give paternity and maternity leave. We could also return to the idea of the thirty hour work week. Microsoft Japan tested this idea out and found that their productivity went up by 40%!
A person can only do so much good work at a time. Give them the space and tools to live a relaxing, fulfilling life so they can come back to work refreshed and ready to work.
Encourage people to feel invested in their work.
Ownership matters. If a friend asked me to help plant some shrubs in their backyard, I’d try to put in a good effort. It’s the neighborly thing to do! However, if I wanted to revamp my own garden, I’d pull out all the stops. I’d research every garden directory and agonize on the details. That difference in effort is only natural. The first scenario sees me fulfilling someone else’s vision for them. The second scenario allows me to engage my imagination and create something beautiful I can enjoy.
The second from highest level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is esteem. Taking pride in accomplishment. If a person feels ownership in their work, they’re more likely to take it seriously. Bosses who step back from micromanaging and allow workers to take charge of projects are creating a better workplace for people’s mental health. This sense of ownership builds loyalty too, incentivizing workers to stick around at the job. They feel like they belong. It also builds leaders within their organization. We call that a win-win!
Offer help to those who need it.
See somebody struggling? Ask what’s going on. Once an employer knows what’s bothering a worker, they can take steps to correct it. A solution may involve changing a protocol or resolving conflict within a team. On the other hand, if the employee is struggling with stress or mental illness, they should get a referral for some kind of treatment. Would you want a lumberjack chopping trees with a broken arm? Of course not! Give workers treatment so they can flourish in their job. Here’s a short guide on the sort of professionals who can help.
Workers Need a Better Deal
“Struggle is the never-ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.”
Dr. Coretta Scott King
If you’re a boss or a manager reading through this article, I hope you can see now that workers’ mental health is in your best interest. If you’re a worker, then I hope you have a better idea of what’s possible for you.
Unfortunately, economic opportunity has floundered in recent years. Labor movements flew under the radar for several decades, but it appears that that’s changing. Advocate for what’s fair. Organize. Good solutions exist– now it’s time to implement them.
