Mental health benefits: A key component of DEI

An effective mental health program should empower you to get to know your own mental well-being, and then provide you with the tools to work on it. (Photo: Shutterstock)

This past year was nothing short of difficult. With the ongoing pandemic and civil unrest, life as we know it has vastly changed. However, one positive change amid this crisis has been the increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Benefits professionals and HR leaders must prioritize DEI to create change within their organizations.

What previously consisted of half-hearted efforts and antiquated programs now needs to be holistic, authentic, and effective employee benefits that support DEI and mental health.

Diversity, equity and inclusion brought to the forefront

Though DEI seems like a no-brainer, only 55% of employees agree their organizations have policies that promote diversity and inclusion, according to Gallup. This is staggering. Clearly, something isn’t working. Considering the current focus on DEI and the need for mental health support, it’s obvious that companies are either:

• Unequipped for what’s right in front of them, and are in a reactive mode
• Choosing not to focus on proactive solutions

In either case, trying to bolster existing atomistic programs won’t work. Companies need to really dig deep. They need to focus on their employees and the health of their companies. The benefits will far outweigh the current strain, even in the climate in which we find ourselves.

After all, the state of our mental wellbeing affects how we feel, react to problems, and cope with the challenges we face every day. Because we all spend a large majority of our time at work, prioritizing mental health in the workplace is a must.

Some companies and benefits leaders are getting the memo. A report by Glassdoor analyzed this trend by tracking the prominence of vacancies for job titles such as “diversity and inclusion recruiter,” “D&I program manager,” and “chief diversity officer.” The study found:

• Those job titles fell by 63% at the start of the pandemic.
• Following the civil unrest amplified by the killing of George Floyd in police custody, the same category of job titles rebounded by 50%

To put this in perspective, that is the largest percentage increase in any category during a four-week period since January 2016. That said, though DEI is getting the attention it deserves, not all of the components that make up a successful DEI strategy for companies are being addressed. And perhaps the most obvious missing element is a commitment to better employee mental health.

Mental health is an immutable

Mental ill-health is often a symptom of lackluster DEI within companies, and specifically among minority demographics.

“Mental health and diversity and inclusion (D&I) are closely connected,” says a Forbes article. “Employees from diverse backgrounds can face lack of representation, microaggressions, unconscious bias, and other stressors that impact their mental health and psychological safety at work.”

A survey by McKinsey & Company, meanwhile, found that a majority of employees have considered the inclusiveness of companies when making career decisions. People care about a company’s attitudes and policies around minority populations. At the same time, almost half of the same respondents feel that they aren’t very included at their current organization.

Regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, a majority felt that they have experienced barriers to inclusion. The McKinsey research supports the argument that certain demographics are more likely to feel less included. Among those groups are entry-level employees, women, and ethnic or racial minorities.

Considering all of that, it only makes sense that DEI strategies should support and proactively include mental health. Why? Because one can’t truly succeed without the other. When someone’s race, identity, and sense of who they are, are repeatedly questioned and used against them, their mental health is affected. When those kinds of questions and attacks happen within the workplace, the individual and the company suffer.

4 ways to round out your DEI strategy

Incorporating mental health into your DEI strategy may seem a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. You can leverage actionable tools and programs to help develop and implement a holistic approach that allows your DEI efforts to truly be effective and take hold within your organization. The key is to use robust measures of mental health and wellbeing, and tailored results. Before reading on to learn four practical and holistic approaches to developing and implementing mental health in your DEI strategy, keep in mind these two fundamental concepts:

• An effective mental health program should empower you to get to know your own mental well-being, and then provide you with the tools to work on it.
• Every individual is on their own unique journey; the organizations they work for should provide tools to help them along that path.

Bearing that in mind, here are four holistic approaches to putting mental health within a DEI strategy:

1. Consider a wide range of topics that might apply to the different life stages and situations of your employees. Keep in mind the entire spectrum of mental health, and acknowledge that every individual will have a different perspective. ‍ 2. Offer various channels of delivery. From digital content and group presentations to individual conversations, this variety will allow employees to choose the most convenient avenue for focusing on their mental health. ‍ 3. Provide more than one scientific approach; not all techniques work for everyone. Everyone’s needs are different and come at different times in their life’s journey. While one person might benefit from focusing on mindfulness to alleviate stress, another might need to rely more on positive psychology or cognitive behavioral therapy. ‍ 4. Communicate openly and celebrate each other’s differences. Regardless of your role and seniority, be courageous and share your needs. Be thoughtful in trying to understand each other, and be conscious that mental wellbeing means something different for everyone.

Mental health may not currently be the focus it should be for every company. But it is something that every individual, at every company, deals with every day — whether they realize it or not. The odds of someone feeling truly included in your company are lowered when their mental health is affected. And their mental health is affected when their race, gender, or ethnicity is questioned.

To say this past year was challenging would be an understatement. However, the challenges of 2020 have provided an opportunity to create change and address shortcomings. Companies must rise to the challenge and seize this opportunity to prioritize mental health and DEI. Along with the more obvious business areas of processes and technologies, benefits need to also be evaluated and overhauled to provide the workplace employees deserve.

Dr. Heather Bolton is a clinical psychologist and BABCP-accredited cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) therapist. She is Head of Psychology at Unmind, the trusted workplace mental health platform. Before joining Unmind, Heather worked in the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) for nearly 10 years, focusing primarily on improving access to therapy for people with depression and anxiety disorders.