Nearly one-fifth of U.S. workers (19%) responded to a Gallup poll rating their mental health as fair or poor. These workers report about four times more unplanned absences due to poor mental health than do their counterparts who report good, very good or excellent mental health.
The breakout was 23% of women, 15% of men, 31% of respondents younger than age 30, 11% of those age 50-64 and 9% of those 65 and older. Missed workdays are estimated to cost the economy $47.6 billion annually in lost productivity, according to Gallup.
The responses were from all sectors of the nation and fundraisers are no exception.
These are among the workplace challenges discussed by Natalie Gupton, MPA, CFRE, vice president and chief operating officer of AgSafe, and Amy Wolfe, MPPA, CFRE, partner at Mujeres Poderosas, LLC, during their session We Are All Not OK at the Association of Fundraising Professionals international event AFPICON in New Orleans.
They explored:
- The impact of poor mental health on the workforce
- Identifying core elements of impactful teams
- The art of clear expectations and the impact to team harmony
- How to effectively motivate and engage a diverse workforce
- How to create a workplace with positive health norms
“The past 3 years have exasperated the workforce and as leaders of our organizations, it is imperative we pay attention to our employee’s mental health,” said Gupton. “Unfortunately, it is not a ‘one size fits all’ fix. Each organization must evaluate its culture and work to know employees personally to understand where gaps are within the framework we’ve outlined.”
There are five essentials to a framework for workplace mental health and well-being, according to Gupton and Wolfe. The first essential element is protection from harm. Creating the conditions for physical and psychological safety is a critical foundation for ensuring workplace mental health and well-being. It rests on two human needs: safety and security.
The second element is connection and community. Fostering positive social interactions and relationships in the workplace supports worker well-being. This Essential rests on two human needs — social support and belonging.
The third element is work-life harmony. Professional and personal roles can together create work and non-work conflicts. The ability to integrate work and non-work demands, for all workers, rests on the human needs of autonomy and flexibility.
The fourth element is mattering at work. People want to know that they matter to those around them and that their work has impact. Knowing you matter has been shown to lower stress. Feeling as if you do not matter can raise the risk for depression. This Essential rests on the human needs of dignity and meaning.
The final element is opportunity for growth. When organizations create more opportunities for workers to accomplish goals based on their skills and growth, workers become more optimistic about their abilities and more enthusiastic about contributing to the organization. This essential rests on the human needs of learning and a sense of accomplishment.
“Leaders all too often feel the pressure for immediate results. To have a genuine, long-lasting and meaningful impact, an organization must be prepared to invest focused time, dedicated energy and tangible resources,” said Wolfe. “Supporting our teams on their path to improved mental health and well-being is a marathon and leaders need to orient their commitment to that long-term focus.”
Here are some questions to answer at your nonprofit:
- What is your organizational mental health strategy?
- How have you integrated your strategy with your employee benefits program?
- How are you educating organizational leaders in supporting their team’s mental health?
- How are you as an organization at setting clear expectations?
- What is your ongoing plan for organizational culture improvement?
