Leadership | 08.22.22
The Impact of DEI Initiatives on Mental Health of Employees
by Natalie Arjune-Jones, Amy Berry and Colleen Smaldone
A few of my organization’s fellow DEI Taskforce members agreed to collaborate to write this article after one of our debriefing conversations. We’ve been trying to meet frequently to discuss issues and articles we’ve read or to have regular check-ins each other. Normally we wouldn’t have had any kind of interaction outside of our DEI Taskforce group. Being a diverse group, I wanted to share some of our thoughts. Amy is an RN who focuses on holistic medicine and treatments. She seeks to find the root cause of a problem and treats patients as a whole instead of just treating their symptoms. Colleen is a Quality Audit Analyst who works to collect, submit and analyze quality data. Natalie works in Provider Enrollment and is also a member of the NAMSS DEI Taskforce.
One of our conversations led us to the topic of mental health. We realized mental health and the workplace are deeply connected. For many employees, the workplace is where the majority of their time is spent. Therefore, fostering an inclusive, safe work environment is imperative to support employees’ mental health and ultimately business success. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only exacerbated the need for mental health wellness in the workplace, but has highlighted the disparities between mental health access and support for employees of diverse backgrounds. Employees need to feel a sense of belonging, value and respect regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or ability.
Implementing DEI initiatives within organizations can help support the mental health of all employees, specifically women, BIPOC and other minority groups. A blogpost on Workhuman*, “The Connection Between Mental Health and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” revealed research showing that employees in certain minority groups are less likely to seek mental health services compared to their white counterparts. Here is the breakdown: Asian 51%, Latino 25%, Black 21%.
Employees with diverse backgrounds may face a lack of representation, microaggressions or unconscious bias. Although these stressors impact employees’ mental health, they should not feel isolated or be responsible for finding resources on their own. Our organization posts wellness information on our intranet site, sends weekly and monthly newsletters and holds monthly all-staff meetings highlighting the resources we have available. Not many of us read every newsletter due to our workload, but it’s nice to hear about our options and where to find them.
Initiatives and policies should ensure adequate representation in leadership roles that reflect their employees and the populations they serve. Additionally, management should regularly engage in conversations with their employees about how best to support their professional and personal needs. For example, at our department’s bimonthly meeting and our one-on-one meetings, our director and supervisors always check in by asking us how things are outside of work and how can they help to make things better at work. I not only feel valued, but respected. Most times there is not much they can do to reduce the stress or workload, but it’s comforting to have their support.
Negotiating insurance benefits to provide employees with no cost or low-cost coverage for managing stress and self-care is another recommendation to support mental health and well-being. Companies may also need to expand their networks to include more behavioral health professionals from different backgrounds, so employees can have a wide range to choose from based on their specific needs.
Other ways employers can help their employees is by offering meditation during work hours and creating learning communities. Learning communities are brave spaces that provide an opportunity for employees to talk about their difficult day, process emotions, situations and experiences. Adding performance evaluations for management in their direct reports will also help employees to give leaders feedback to improve their performance and create accountability. Organizations should foster a cultural atmosphere that includes listening deeply, being curious during conversations, and sharing your truth without fear of retribution. Continued conversations and support from leadership about mental health and well-being is critical to business success. Employees will feel valued and respected, which improves morale and productivity. It will ultimately translate to better service for the patients and clients of any organization.