🌿 Mental Health at Work: A Crisis We Can’t Ignore

Hello! 👋

It’s Thursday, 10^th October, and today is World Mental Health Day. We are living in times of increasing flux. External change is accelerating, creating a natural rise in personal anxiety and corporate fear. Let us try to understand what we can do to combat this epidemic. First time reading? Join over 300 intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.

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Key Idea: Mental Health at Work

Mental health struggles are not just emerging; they’re escalating—and with 1 in 4 adults facing mental health challenges annually, this isn’t an issue we can afford to overlook.

Yet, here’s the uncomfortable truth: While more people are suffering, 84% of employees still don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health at work.

We must ask ourselves, why? What’s stopping us from having these conversations? And how can we as individuals make the changes necessary to support our own mental well-being—and that of others?

Let’s take a look at how we can all play a role in creating mentally healthier workspaces, starting with ourselves.

The Mental Health Crisis at Work

The challenges surrounding mental health at work are vast, ranging from burnout and anxiety to depression, panic disorders, and stress-related illnesses. These are not abstract issues; they affect millions of us every day.

To make matters worse, companies are still losing substantial time and money due to these struggles. 57% of all working days lost are due to mental health-related issues. In fact, employees experiencing burnout are 3 times more likely to seek new job opportunities! These aren’t just statistics — they reflect the daily reality for many of us who juggle work responsibilities, personal challenges, and the pressure to keep going when we’re not okay.

And yet, the workplace isn’t always an environment where it feels safe to share these struggles.

Untreated mental health conditions cost U.S. companies around $500 billion annually in lost productivity. However, companies like Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Google, and Starbucks are leading the way by prioritizing psychological safety and mental health, proving that investing in employee well-being leads to thriving, resilient workplaces.

Remote Work: A Path to Mental Health Relief

Remote work has been a game-changer for many. While it’s not a magic bullet, the flexibility it provides has led to significant mental health benefits for a lot of employees.

• Reduced Stress: No daily commute. No rigid hours. For many, the freedom to work when and how they’re most productive has been a mental health lifeline.

• Time to Recharge: Working from home allows for personal breaks, time to decompress, and more balanced routines that prioritize well-being.

But remote work is only part of the answer. While it offers relief, it’s not the full solution. We need to equip ourselves with personal tools to navigate the mental health challenges that arise regardless of where we work.

What We Can Do as Individuals to Support Mental Health

Here’s where things get real. Mental health isn’t just a company issue — it’s an individual responsibility. So what can we do to take care of our own mental well-being and support those around us? Here are a few actionable steps:

• Identify Your Triggers: Start by recognizing what impacts your mental health at work. Is it tight deadlines? Constant meetings? Understanding your triggers is the first step toward managing them.

• Make Room for Listening: Create space in your routine to truly listen to others. You don’t need to have all the answers, but being a good listener can make a world of difference for someone struggling.

• Learn About Mental Health: Equip yourself with knowledge. Whether it’s reading books, listening to podcasts, or taking courses, the more you understand mental health, the better you can support yourself and others.

• Support Those in Need: Don’t be afraid to reach out if you notice someone struggling. Offering a simple “How are you really doing?” can open the door to an important conversation.

We’re all in this together. Whether you’re working from a home office or commuting to a company headquarters, these steps can help you build a more resilient mindset and foster a healthier environment for those around you.

At the same time, be careful about quick-fix solutions. We should be wary of influencer-led claims on YouTube that a single subscription (read: BH) can "fix" our mental health overnight.

Conclusion: A Personal Call to Action

Some of you might know that I spent a few months last year working on a mental health platform to help working professionals find the right therapists. Although that venture didn’t take off — largely because I couldn't find a sustainable way to raise the lifetime value (LTV) of customers beyond the acquisition cost — the importance of this problem has only grown in my mind. Mental health is a complex, deeply personal journey, and it often requires more than just surface-level solutions.

This World Mental Health Day, let’s make a promise to ourselves and our colleagues. It’s not just about what companies can do — it’s about what we can do as individuals. If you’re struggling with mental health at work, I’m here to listen. Feel free to share your thoughts or challenges with me — I may not have all the answers, but I promise I’ll listen.

And as a small token of appreciation, I’m giving away one free subscription to Calm Premium to a lucky subscriber. Let’s take this moment to invest in our mental well-being together.

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