Supporting Low-income and Front-line Workers
We are all relieved the world looks a lot different today than even a year ago. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are widely available. Schools are open for in-person learning. Mask mandates are being phased out. People are tentatively returning to offices and workplaces, reuniting with colleagues.
Yet the fallout of the pandemic still demands our attention, particularly the urgent need to address a mental health crisis that has grown dramatically in scope and scale over the past two years. And no one is bearing a heavier burden than low-income and front-line workers, who face unique challenges — from high physical and mental job demands and financial insecurity to greater exposure to traumatic events.
Research conducted during the pandemic shows that people with low incomes are up to three times more likely to suffer with depression and anxiety. Front-line, essential workers experienced significantly higher rates of anxiety or depressive disorder, substance use, and suicidal thoughts compared to other employees.
Of course, it’s one thing to recognize the problem. But harder to offer helpful solutions.
In that spirit, BSR’s Healthy Business Coalition and One Mind at Work recently brought together a group of workplace mental health experts virtually to discuss ideas, share some lessons learned and develop a set of actionable recommendations that can lead to measurable progress. To dive into the full report access the link here.
Organizations that employ low-income and front-line workers have a special obligation to help promote better mental health and wellbeing among their employees. Every individual has unique needs, so a robust mental health support system must embrace a wide range of programs and solutions.
For some employees, flexible work arrangements and paid time off for mental health can help reduce stress and anxiety. Others benefit from peer support groups or help from trained HR staff navigating support programs.
Many participants in the BSR-One Mind at Work webinar have adopted digital wellbeing tools that help employees track their resilience and alert them to seek help when needed. At Accenture, nearly 100,000 employees have relied on a suite of digital health apps that deliver mindfulness support, chat therapists and resilience training.
Employers should also take a holistic approach that builds an organization-wide culture that prioritizes mental health. The goal is to create an environment that eliminates stigma and gives employees confidence that their mental health is valued, and support is readily available when they need it.
At Scala Computing, CEO Shiv Kumar made mental health support a priority during the pandemic. The company used a “Five A” approach — awareness, acknowledgement, acceptance, action and analysis — that not only emphasized mental wellbeing, but empowered employees to actively use the support services available and recommend changes where needed.
Organizational leaders have a critical role to play, including modeling mentally healthy behaviors, making efforts to check in on the mental health of their teams and talking about mental health openly and transparently.
It’s tempting to think the impact of COVID-19 will fade along with mask mandates and other pandemic precautions. Yet for many low-income and front-line workers, the challenge to recover their mental health and sustain their wellbeing goes on. Employers have a responsibility to give them all the tools they need to succeed.
