A focus on mental health always makes good business sense. But in the time of coronavirus, as well as the protests taking place nationwide, the practice is becoming more vital than ever. Employees are experiencing higher rates of mental health issues and struggling with feelings of isolation, loneliness and stress–and many are looking to their employer for help.
“In our current circumstances, where we are forced into a position where we go back to the fundamentals–like taking care of each other and treating each other like human beings–we realize that the stuff that maybe used to be viewed as extra or nice-to-haves, like mental health, is absolutely necessary and foundational,” says Reetu Sandhu, a manager at the Limeade Institute, which conducts research about wellbeing. “Simply put, mental health and our fundamental human needs are no longer aspects of work that can be deprioritized.”
