It’s no secret: healthcare workers are in need of mental health support. In 2022, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory on healthcare worker burnout, recognizing the unique mental health challenges doctors, nurses and practitioners experience.
Since then, the spotlight on employee mental health has only gotten bigger. In Calm’s 2024 Voice of the Workplace Report, 69% of employees said their mental health worsened in the past year, and 81% reported recent struggles with nervousness, anxiousness, and stress.
While these numbers are startling, there are workplace mental health care interventions that can make a difference. HR leaders everywhere are innovating and trying out new strategies to meet today’s mental health challenges and support employee well-being.
After reviewing the latest research gathered by Calm and the U.S. Surgeon General, here are five strategies to consider as you design your next employee mental health program:
Five Strategies to Support the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers & Providers
1. Start with Manager Support
Managers are in a unique position to influence employee well-being, with 65% of employees surveyed by Calm saying that managers significantly influence their mental health. This means that manager well-being is doubly important, as their mood can affect not only their own performance, but their team’s performance, too. Consider ways to increase manager support in your organization. Can you streamline processes to reduce manager workload? Can you provide managers with training that increases their ability to lead and support their team?
2. Adopt Helpful Technology to Reduce Workloads
Research has shown that reducing administrative and documentation burdens can enhance provider well-being and effectiveness. While technology adoption might not seem like a direct mental health intervention at first, it can create huge benefits for employees. As their workloads decrease, stress and anxiety often decrease, too.
3. Provide a variety of resources, including low-barrier-to-entry interventions.
Employees may be hesitant to engage in a serious intervention like therapy right away. Instead, they may be more apt to use an app or online resource, or to take a “mental health day” if it’s offered by their organization. Consider making “low-barrier-to-entry” mental health resources a regular part of your benefits package.
4. Pay attention to the needs of specific populations.
Mental health needs can vary by demographic group, including age, race, gender and more. For example, Calm’s 2024 report found that 75% of Gen-Z workers report feeling down or depressed, compared to an average of about 50% among Gen-Xers and baby boomers. They also found that women may need more support when facing mental health challenges related to fertility, childcare, or menopause. Consider ways to tailor mental health support to specific populations — for example, developing an employee resource group for parents, or developing a mentorship program for younger workers.
5. Create a connected culture of support.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s office can’t stress enough the power of community: “Strengthening social connection and community enhances job satisfaction, protects against loneliness and isolation, and improves the quality of patient care.” At a high level, it’s important to consider your organizational culture and whether it currently promotes connection and community among workers. Is there an opportunity to create a strategic initiative around community-building? Could you implement new hospital-wide programs that strengthen relationships between co-workers?
Workplace Programs Can Make a Difference
While workplace stress has increased in recent years, intervention programs can make a significant difference. This mental health month, consider how small changes can make a big impact. Consider this: What’s one new mental health intervention you’d be willing to try in your workplace this year to support employee well-being?
For more insights around healthcare leadership, subscribe to Lauren’s LinkedIn newsletter, Leading in Healthcare. Lauren Bencekovich is the founder and Managing Director of Lauren Recruiting Group, a boutique healthcare recruiting firm that matches healthcare executive candidates with hospitals and health organizations. Looking for an outstanding C-Suite candidate? Visit our contact page to schedule a 30-minute intro call with one of our team members. We look forward to connecting and matching you with a top-tier candidate!