Episode: 691

Episode Title: The Mental Health Priority

Why are so many people fearful to be honest about their mental wellbeing with their employers? Here’s the scoop, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 691 show:

This is the Perna Syndicate and I’m your host, Mark Perna. Thanks for tuning in! In a rapidly changing world, it’s easy to fall behind on good mental health practices. When we don’t feel mentally strong, we’re not able to be our best selves, at home or at work. If we don’t feel a sense of support, especially at work, leaving to find a more supportive atmosphere starts to sound like a pretty good idea.  

A recent study by Pew Research has shown that nearly 40% of employees want to discuss mental health in the workplace. Younger generations especially view these conversations as meaningful support. But at the same time, very few feel comfortable bringing up these topics themselves. 

We all know it can be difficult to be vulnerable with people, especially in a professional setting. In fact, only 1 in 5 employees feel comfortable bringing up mental health concerns with their HR teams. 

They may feel that this level of honesty can be viewed as a vulnerability, increasing their chances of being laid off or making them less likely to receive a promotion. 

But just because we don’t talk about our mental health challenges doesn’t mean they’ll go away. In fact, the opposite is often true—which makes mental health conversations a new priority in today’s workplace. 

Tomorrow: What can employers do to create an environment where people feel comfortable having these tough conversations? We’ll cover that and more tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate. See you then!