Is Your Job Making You Sick?

Source: Photo by Yaopey Yong on Unsplash

Company culture is not just a side of fries but an essential ingredient in what makes work, work.

Last week, the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General released a report on workplace mental health and well-being that gave a window into the research and provided a platform for those in the trenches to voice their experiences navigating the at times tumultuous world of work, highlighting what happens when stressors on the job jump outside the confines of the office and negatively impact our health, family life, and efforts to forge an identity that goes beyond the title printed on our business card.

Spotlighting how the fertile ground of office life abundantly grows whatever those in power plant, the report details a five-part framework for nurturing and sustaining a healthy output. Wrapped into the complexity of the reams of research, a common theme emerged.

Company cultures that create “an environment where workers’ voices are supported without fear of job loss or retaliation is an essential component of healthy organizations.”

Put another way, if those in power will open their office doors, pull up a chair to listen, and then enact a willingness to shift and change based on feedback, even when what is shared elicits discomfort, employees will voice what they require in order to thrive. Such conversations are the first steps in reversing the latest trends in which 76% of Americans report symptoms of a mental health condition, and 85% assert that work-life difficulties contribute in part to their mental health struggles.

Below, I detail the five-part framework, intermixing the report’s findings with the voices of workplace bullying survivors who participated in my latest research study. As part of my research protocol, names and identifying information have been excluded or changed.

1. Protection From Harm

In order to exhibit peak performance and thrive, employees require the basic human right of feeling safe on the job. Specifically, protecting workers from harm translates into reasonable workloads that allow employees downtime on off hours to acquire adequate rest, normalize the need and provide support for mental health counseling, and move beyond hollow statements of equity and instead operationalize and sustain DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) initiatives.

Sherry, a high school principal, spoke out about school practices that were putting the educational needs and emotional health of the children in her care at risk. In response to her voicing concerns, she suffered significant retaliation from the superintendent of her district and later lost her job.

2. Connection and Community

As humans, we possess an innate need to belong. Since most Americans spend a large part of their existence engaged at work, it is essential for work to be more than an office or a Zoom call and instead offer up opportunities to forge true connections and to be part of a welcoming community.

Joan, a project manager, took a risk on a new project, trying out a new idea, knowing it might fail. Due to her expertise and intellectual risk-taking, the project was a huge success, putting her company firmly on the map as an innovative organization. Upset that she unintentionally stole the spotlight, Joan’s boss launched a gossip campaign, sullying Joan’s reputation and turning colleagues against her. Eventually, the toxicity of the work culture led Joan to seek employment elsewhere.

3. Work-Life Harmony

The pandemic served to significantly smear the already blurry lines between work and free time, disrupting the crucial balance of job and home. In order to reestablish a semblance of harmony, employees need to be given the flexibility and trusted with the autonomy to complete their projects and responsibilities in a way that allows them to nurture their family and personal life while also having the time and resources required to be successful at work.

Trevor, a Physics professor, sat through a mandated, 90-minute workshop on mental health, detailing the importance of setting boundaries between work and school. Throughout the training, top administrators nodded in agreement as the nurse leading the session charged leaders to be cognizant of academics’ overflowing workload. A week later, Trevor’s Department Chair requested he lead a university initiative that would take up significant time, without decreasing other work obligations or offering compensation. Calling upon what he learned at the training, Trevor declined. A month later, on his annual review, a document that impacts his chances at making tenure, the Chair negatively commented on Trevor’s unwillingness to participate in university service.

Career Essential Reads

To Go or Not to Go (to the Office)

Why Entrepreneurs Often Fail

4. Mattering at Work

Adults, like children, want to feel that it mattered that they showed up today. At work, employees want those in leadership positions to recognize and value the work they do, treating them with dignity and respect. In addition, employees want to know that their work is connected to a larger mission, whether it be educating youth, helping the climate, caring for the sick, or providing exceptional customer service to those seeking help and resolution.

Sean, a Middle School English Teacher, arrives at work each morning by 6:30 am to ready his classroom and tutor two students who are struggling with their writing. His lunch hour is relinquished to sponsor a finance club, and as 5:00 pm rolls around, Sean is still at school answering student emails. When an opportunity for a district-wide English teacher becomes available, Sean is overlooked in favor of the principal’s former college buddy, who has never taught in public schools.

5. Opportunity for Growth

At work, forward professional momentum helps employees feel engaged and valued. Opportunities to take classes, attend trainings, and try on additional responsibilities that invite new skills, send the message that employees matter and their future is bright within the institution. Jobs that stagnate, pigeonholing workers into the confines of restrictive boxes, decrease motivation and retention, as workers are forced to look outward in order to grow.

Evelyn, a Sociology Professor, is required to present her research each year at national and international conferences as a condition of promotion and tenure; however, as a result of her university’s declining enrollment leading to budget cuts, she must personally cover the cost of hotels, travel, food, and registration fees, a tall order on a measly salary. In response, those willing and able to pay out of pocket for their own professional development fare better when it comes to promotion and tenure, creating a “pay to play” mentality in the Ivory Tower.

How Is Your Organization Doing?

In order to assess whether your organization possesses a welcoming and affirming work culture punctuated with opportunities for professional growth, the report offers a number of discussion questions to get the conversation going. Here is a sampling,

1. What are workers saying they need to feel physically and psychologically safer in our workplace? How can we objectively assess their safety?
2. How does our workplace prioritize DEIA policies and initiatives? Do workers recognize it as an organizational priority?
3. How do workers describe feeling included (or not) in our workplace?
4. How are we ensuring that no one needs to work during their off hours?
5. What opportunities are there in our workplace to meaningfully recognize and appreciate workers’ efforts?
6. How might we provide equitable learning and development opportunities to all workers?
7. How can we facilitate more opportunities for timely and fair feedback for workers and leaders?

To keep the conversation going, check out the report's additional reflection questions, and ask yourself if your organization is supporting and nurturing your mental health and well-being or if perhaps your job is what is making your sick.