Sarah graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree. As she prepared to tackle the real world with the promise of success and riches, she found herself in for a rude awakening.

Firstly, she had a massive student debt to pay off. Secondly, the world’s economy was in crisis—a crisis her generation would have to pay for. And thirdly, thanks to an impossibly competitive job market, her dreams of success soon turned into a nightmare that saw her moving back in with her parents and waiting tables.

As it turned out, the real world wasn’t so great after all.

And to make matters worse, the rise of social media ensured Sarah was constantly comparing herself to her peers, influencers, and celebrities — all of whom painted a picture of stark contrast to the reality she faced.

Sarah, along with her peers, were thrust into an extremely volatile and uncertain world. And without the life skills to manage, the interest on her debt accruing, and her prospects looking grim, she soon spiralled into a world of anxiety and depression —a reality she would struggle immensely to come to terms with.

When she finally landed a job that offered her hope for the future, she was confronted with a high-pressure working environment that stigmatized mental health and offered little real support to its employees. An environment she resented as it fuelled her anxiety and depression as well as feelings of isolation while making it seemingly impossible for her to be productive or shine in her new role. A role she so desperately wanted to be successful in.

Sarah’s story is not unique. It is a story shared by millions of millennials in North America and around the globe.

Anxiety and depression amongst millennials is a full-blown epidemic. The consequences of which — as outlined above — are catastrophic. But it gets worse.

According to a report by Well Being Trust, more millennials are dying “deaths of despair” than any generation to precede them.

“Deaths of despair” include alcohol and drug-induced fatalities as well as suicide. And they accounted for more than 152,000 lives in 2017 — the highest number ever recorded and more than double that in 1999.

While many are quick to label millennials snowflakes, when we study the facts, the evidence is clear as to why such an epidemic exists.

There has been a meteoric shift in the world. Technology has permanently changed the landscape in which we live and work, ensuring we are living in a busier and more distracted world than ever.

The millennial generation is the first to be faced with such unchartered waters. And with heavy scrutiny from older generations and not a playbook insight, they would have no choice but to spend their formative working years having to figure it out alone.

And there were consequences. Namely, their mental health, which they too would also have to figure out on their own.

Technology, in itself, can be enough to justify the cause. Still, when compounded with several other factors, we can begin to get a feel for why such turmoil and trauma looms over an entire generation.

Here are just a few of the reasons why Millennials are struggling with their mental health both at home and in the workplace:

Financial Stress

The wake of the global financial crisis promises that not only will millennials have to pay for the mistakes of their predecessors, but they also stand to be the first generation ever not to outearn their parents.

Also, student loan debt, healthcare, childcare, expensive rents, uncertainty, and rising house prices have millennials extremely stressed about both their financial prospects and future.

Burnout

Known as “burnout generation”, the economy, work environment, lack of available resources for help, increasing workloads, longer hours, and social media are all contributing factors to burnout becoming a growing problem in today’s workplace.

Perfectionism

With close ties to anxiety and depression, a study from Curran attributes rising levels of perfectionism to social media use, which can lead to an overall dissatisfaction with appearance and social isolation.

Further, a deep desire to succeed both personally, financially, and professionally sees millennials place themselves under exceedingly high pressure with often unrealistic goals, which, more often, spirals them into a world of anxiety and depression.

Loneliness

An epidemic within an epidemic, and a double-edged sword, those that are anxious or depressed, can begin to experience loneliness. In contrast, those that are lonely can begin to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression.

A survey by YouGov found millennials were more likely to feel lonely than any previous generation.

Technology

As mentioned, millennials are the first generation to witness such a seismic shift in how we live our lives.

Sensory overload and increasingly more time spent on their phones are resulting in a loss of real connections, which also increases the level of loneliness and despair many millennials report.

How is the millennial mental health crisis affecting the workplace?

While they are indeed suffering, millennials have a high level of awareness and, as a result, high standards as to what they are willing to accept in a work environment.

So far, employers are not meeting these expectations. And it’s costing them.

A study by Mind Share, found that 50% of millennials have left a job for mental health reasons. The figure increases to 75% for Gen Z, further highlighting the serious implications facing employers if not tackled pro-actively and as a matter of urgency. 

Millennials attribute much of their mental health struggles to the workplace. And they will continue to fight for better, more supportive work environments while continuing to distance themselves from companies unwilling to tear down stigmas and create a supportive company culture.

That same study by Mind Share found;

• Millennials are 3.5 times more likely than baby boomers to believe their work or workplace environment was a contributing factor to their mental health conditions. Millennials were 3 to 4 times more likely to experience anxiety symptoms at work when compared to baby boomers. The majority of respondents didn’t believe their company supported mental health at work.

The current cost of the mental health epidemic to employers:

If you are a recruiter or an employer, you may wish to brace yourself: The World Health Organization estimates that stress-related diseases and mental health results in losses of up to $300 billion in lost productivity annually.

These figures can be broken down into two categories: Absenteeism and Presenteeism.

While absenteeism is easily quantified, presenteeism (employees who are present yet not fully functioning) poses a greater challenge. And it is estimated that rates of presenteeism are 3-10 times higher than absenteeism.

If you consider Sarah’s case, she was present. But she wasn’t productive. Can you imagine just how poor her productivity was when considering her mental health and the lack of support available?

Now, imagine Sarah was working for a company that understood the implications of mental health and was willing to create both a supportive and progressive environment?

Sarah’s life would likely be very different. She’d be happier, more hopeful, and far more productive. And indeed, more loyal and unlikely to move on elsewhere.

Not only would Sarah do better, but the domino effect would have positive implications for the entire organization. Everybody would do better. A negative environment would suddenly turn positive.

The consequence and implications of not addressing this are severe — on both a human and monetary level. And ironically, by addressing the issues, not shying away from them, and being proactive in changing the culture, the entire organization can change for the better.

Looking forward to a brighter future

We must come to terms with the fact that experiencing mental health problems in the workplace is no longer the exception. It’s the norm. This is further evident when we look at Gen Z, highlighting just how persistent and relentless the issue is, and will continue to be until addressed.

How to address mental health in your workplace?

We have arrived at a time in this crisis where employers who are ready to act decisively by investing in their employees’ mental health will benefit greatly for years to come.

No business can afford not to take action. 

The very worst thing you can do is ignore it. It all starts with communication. Acknowledging that you are aware this is a problem—one that you refuse to be passive towards while ensuring all employees know they are working for both a progressive and proactive company that takes their mental health seriously.

When you open up a dialog around mental health, you will reduce the stigma while helping to lift a massive weight off the shoulders from the many people in your organization that need support and yet are terrified to ask for it. And for this, you will be rewarded in many ways.

It all starts with happier, more productive, and loyal employees who will be proud to call you there employer.

It should also be noted that many millennials are open to getting help; they simply can’t afford it.

If you want to be looked upon as a model company that your employees will rave about and remain loyal to, then you can sign up to Starling Minds proven, online CBT platform that will take care of everything for you while ensuring any of your employees that need it, will be provided with the very best tools and programs to manage their mental health better.

All for a fraction of the cost you’re already paying on disability alone.

Get in touch today.

Connect with Us

The post How to Address the Millennial Mental Health Crisis in the Workplace appeared first on Starling Minds.

But that compassion is being put at risk by the demands from our healthcare systems. As doctors are constantly being asked to do more with less, their motivation and stress levels are being impacted. Resulting in physician burnout reaching such critical levels, it’s now a public health crisis¹.

According to a Stanford study, 50% of doctors reported feeling symptoms of depression, emotional exhaustion, work dissatisfaction, and a loss in confidence². Of these doctors, they are twice as likely to commit a serious medical error and jeopardize the wellbeing of their patients³.

In recent years, the role of compassion in healthcare has become a major, emerging topic in the scientific community. Dozens of research studies have concluded that a culture of compassionate patient care is the key to improve health outcomes. It reduces workplace stress, burnout, and protects healthcare providers who are taking on today’s most pressing healthcare challenges⁴.

Why a Compassionate Culture Matters

One of the benefits of a compassionate workplace is employee retention.

Employees who experience empathy, understanding, and kindness from their managers and colleagues are likely to stay at their job. In fact, 89% of employees would recommend their workplace as a good place to work if it supports well-being initiatives⁵. Organizations with toxic environments tend to have high turnover rates. In fact, 80% of Millennials and 66% of Baby Boomers would leave their job if their office became less empathetic⁶.

Stress Reduction

Stress is the largest contributor to mental health problems in the workplace. Nothing causes stress to an employee like poor management or lack of support from leadership. But not all stress is bad. It gives employees the opportunity to improve their problem-solving skills and ability to cope with challenges thrown at them.

The type of stress all organizations should be afraid of is “long-term stress”. It deeply impairs judgement, thoughts, behaviour, and physical health. If an organization fails to help employees manage their stress, it will impact all fronts including finance, business, and human resources outcomes.⁷

A compassionate culture encourages employees to express their stress in a healthy, productive way without judgement or fear of reprehension. Employees feel heard and validated, minimizing the impact stress can have on an organization.

Interpersonal bonds

Leading with compassion at work results in employees who are dedicated to their organization’s vision and work to win as a team⁸.

Compassion promotes generosity and builds affective trust between employees, their manager, and their organization as a whole. When employees feel valued and cared for, they will voluntarily offer support and care to others they work with.

Seven Principles to a Culture of Compassionate Care

Creating a compassionate culture means supporting, guiding, recognizing, and rewarding workers who incorporate compassion into their day-to-day routines and practices.

We know changing workplace culture is challenging. Which is why we compiled seven best practices to help people facing that challenge. These practices were used by leading healthcare organizations to build and nurture a culture of compassion.

• Commitments to compassionate leadership
• To teach compassion
• To value and reward compassion
• To incorporate feedback from frontline employees
• To partner with patients and families
• To build compassion into healthcare delivery
• To deepen our understanding of compassion

Compassionate Leadership

Leaders are “culture carriers,” modelling what it means to deliver compassionate care. Leaders who are committed to creating a culture of compassionate care:

• Demonstrate Ethical Standards: Maintain high ethical standards and integrity in their daily activities in order to gain the trust and respect of employees
• Gain Management Buy-In: Ensure that compassionate care resonates from the top-down, extending through all organizational levels
• Have a Passion for Learning: Inspire continuous learning and challenge their own assumptions, grow their expertise, and develop their team’s capabilities
• Remove Barriers: Identify and remove the barriers keeping their workforce from achieving the success they want
• Avoid Pointing Fingers: Focus on what teams need versus what they aren’t doing; they offer guidance and put the right resources in place
• Lead with Hope: Acknowledge and support team members to use their skills, talents, insights, and passion for the greater good

Teach Compassion

Many people think that someone is born compassionate. But research has shown that compassion-based qualities like patience, kindness and warmth can be taught through effective training.

Recognize and Reward Compassionate Care

Employee reward and recognition programs help motivate employees to change their work habits and understand the steps needed to do so. Many hospitals and education institutes have already tied their rewards and recognition programs for compassionate care. Encouraging employees to take accountability in building a compassionate workplace culture and delivering compassionate services to patients.

Feedback from Healthcare Providers

Although a change in culture starts from the top-down, leaders need to understand their employees’ perspectives and incorporate it into new corporate policies. A constructive feedback loop creates more effective policies by incorporating real-world insights from frontline employees. Surprisingly, only 17% of organizations consult their employees when developing their compassionate care policies, preventing them from responding to actual patients’ needs and wants⁹.

Support Families and Community

Hospitals and healthcare clinics are vital parts of a community. And engagement with patients and their families is a vital part of healthcare leadership. Forward-thinking leaders understand the importance of building compassion beyond the walls of their hospital and connecting with local communities and cultures. This community of compassion, helps build a solid reputation, increases awareness, and attracts more patients, staff, and clinicians.

Embed Compassion into Healthcare Delivery

Compassionate care is a promise to patients, families, and providers. As a fundamental priority, compassion should be a core value to support the vision, culture, and practice within a healthcare organization. Core values are a big part of an organization’s “why,” and helps align resources to identify the “what” and implement the “how.”

For example, compassion as a core value:

• WHAT: To build trust and genuine connections with patients
• HOW: Be compassionate, respectful, and responsive to them and their family’s perspective, culture, concerns, needs, and preferences (also known as patient-centred care)
• WHY: It will lead to better patient outcomes, high performance and engagement, and lower costs within healthcare systems and payers

Compassionate care aids in a patient’s recovery and gives them a greater sense of responsibility and control over their health. Physician empathy has shown to help improve patient satisfaction and strengthen patient enablement. It also reduces anxiety and delivers better patient and organizational outcomes.

Deepen Understanding of Compassion

Healthcare workers have a strong understanding of science-based practices. While many understand that compassion matters from a human perspective, its role in healthcare outcome metrics, is not always understood. Metrics such as mortality, readmission, and patient experience can all be linked to compassionate care. Leaders should stress that compassion is a powerful tool they can use to excel at work.

Conclusion

A lot of healthcare organizations rely on individual healthcare workers to carry the culture of empathy, kindness, and compassion at work. However, studies have shown that only when compassionate care becomes a day-to-day organizational norm that patient experience and employee engagement improves. By creating a more sustainable, compassionate, and mindful workforce, leaders will see improvements in engagement and reductions in burnout, absenteeism, and turnover rates¹¹.

The post Creating a Culture of Compassionate Care and Safety appeared first on Starling Minds.