Why Companies Should Make Mental Health a Key Part of Employee Wellness

This time of year is often a challenging and busy time for us at LP, as it is for many businesses. In a typical year, it’s the final push of 4th quarter and we are striving to provide an unparalleled client experience at a time that is also associated with family and celebration (regardless of whether you are in a place of celebration). This year, all those challenges and stresses are exacerbated by COVID-19. The holidays can be tough, some of you may be isolated from family due to the pandemic, and the pressures of life and work can be heavy. Personally, I am struggling with lowering my expectations of what this time of year usually looks like for my family.

It may not be the first time this year that you’ve read a headline encouraging you to focus on employee mental health. This year has illuminated the need for more attention on mental health issues.

“Absolutely the pandemic created an environment where we accelerated the destigmatization of mental health in the workplace, and now everyone’s talking about it, and it’s okay to talk about it,” Dr. Jay Wohlgemuth, chief medical officer at Quest Diagnostics, told Fortune magazine. Dr. Wohlgemuth said he personally has struggled with depression.

We encourage you to make mental health a key component of your organization’s employee wellness initiatives.

LP recently wrapped up our Virtual Wellness Month, which focused on our employee well-being, including their physical, mental and financial health. As a part of this initiative, we hosted presentations by Cameron Stout. Cam, a litigator, walked us through his journey to overcome addictions and depression, and met he with several LPers for personal wellness coaching sessions. Here are a few of the responses we received after the presentation:

• Cam’s talk was a big wake up call for me. It made me realize the seriousness of mental illness and the power of mental health. With the pandemic raging on and on, life completely interrupted, and living in isolation in our homes – it is easier and easier to develop unhealthy habits. He helped me see that I needed to make a big change in my life, like moving my body, talking to a therapist, and engaging with family and friends more. I hope that LP continues to build bridges with our colleagues and continues to support each other. Life is tough, and we need each other!
• I hope that people take the time to reflect on the demands that this profession can force us to impose on ourselves and on others, and perhaps step back a bit to evaluate how we can realign expectations if the pressure is at the expense of our mental and/or physical well-being.
• If you ever feel you need help with anything, the best thing about LP is that we are all compassionate human beings who are always willing to listen.

If you would like to learn more about Cameron Stout and his story, feel free to contact him directly at stout.cameron@gmail.com or visit his website at www.stoutheart.org. Harvard Business Review also offers some suggestions for supporting mental health here.