Mental Health in Workplaces

A Return To Office mandate is a funny thing. A trade-off of lower workforce productivity, morale, retention, engagement, and trust in exchange for...managers feeling more in control. It's more a sign of insecurity and incompetence than sound decision-making. The fact that 80% of executives who have pushed for RTO mandates have later regretted their decision only makes the point further, and yet every few months more leaders line up to pad this statistic. In case your leaders have forgotten, return to office mandates are associated with: 🔻 16% lower intent to stay among the highest-performing employees (Gartner) 🔻 10% less trust, psychological safety, and relationship quality between workers and their managers (Great Place to Work) 🔻 22% of employees from marginalized groups becoming more likely to search for new jobs (Greenhouse) 🔻 No significant change in financial performance while guaranteeing damage to employee satisfaction (Ding and Ma, 2024) The thing is, we KNOW how to do hybrid work well at this point. 🎯 Allow teams to decide on in-person expectations, and hold people accountable to it—high flexibility; high accountability. 🎯 Make in-person time unique and valuable, with brainstorming, events, and culture-building activities—not video calls all day in the office. 🎯 Value outcomes, not appearances, of productivity—reward those who get their work done regardless of where they do it. 🎯 Train inclusive managers, not micromanagers—build in them the skills and confidence to lead with trust rather than fear and insecurity. Leaders that fly in the face of all this data to insist that workers return to office "OR ELSE" communicate one thing: they are the kinds of leaders that place their own egos and comfort above their shareholders and employees alike. Faced with the very real test of how to design the hybrid workforce of the future, these leaders chose to throw a tantrum in their bid to return to the past, and their organizations will suffer for it. The leaders that will thrive in this time? Those that are willing to do the work. Those that are willing to listen to their workforce, skill up to meet new needs, and claim their rewards in the form of the best talent, higher productivity, and the highest level of worker loyalty and trust. Will that be you?

What happens when return-to-office mandates ignore the data? According to a Barron’s report, JPMorgan Chase’s own internal survey—completed by 90% of its workforce—shows employee sentiment has dropped significantly since the full return-to-office policy began in March. The lowest-scoring areas? 🔻 Work-life balance 🔻 Health and well-being 🔻 Internal mobility While CEO Jamie Dimon remains convinced that the company performs better in person, the workforce is signaling something different—and it’s time we pay attention. Full return-to-office mandates are not only outdated—they're risky. What I see is that all generations are now expecting some level of flexibility, and when leaders dismiss that shift, morale declines and attrition rises. Top talent doesn't just disengage. They start making exit plans. As HR and business leaders, we must do two things: 1️⃣ Reevaluate the ROI of in-office presence. If the goal is collaboration, innovation, or mentorship, then measure those outcomes—not attendance. Proximity without purpose is not strategy. 2️⃣ Design flexibility as a business accelerator, not a perk. Flexibility, when done right, fuels productivity, autonomy, and trust. It's not about letting people off the hook. It's about giving them the tools and conditions to do their best work. Here’s the hard truth: People don’t resist coming to the office. They resist coming back to systems that ignore their lives, their input, and their evolving expectations. How would you react if your company had a RTO mandate? #FutureOfWork #ReturnToOffice #HRLeadership #WorkplaceStrategy #HybridWork #EmployeeExperience #WellbeingAtWork #LIPostingDayJune

Employees in toxic cultures are 55% more likely to be diagnosed with a serious physical disease. Over time, a toxic culture also takes a heavy toll on organizational performance. Culture is often the invisible elephant in the audit room. 🐘 Overlooking it can lead to missed risks, misunderstandings, and even failed audits. Imagine walking into a well-respected company only to find that their "open door policy" is merely decorative. 😱 One time, I was auditing an organization where the CEO proudly declared their culture was all about transparency and collaboration. But when we started asking questions, employees whispered about fear of retribution for honest feedback. The disconnect between proclaimed values and actual behavior was staggering. 🤯 Many auditors have shared similar experiences. Here are three cultural blind spots auditors often miss: 🔍 Unspoken Norms: Invisible rules everyone follows but no one talks about. 🔍 Communication Styles: Misreading formal vs. informal communication can lead to misunderstandings. 🔍 Leadership Behavior: What happens when leaders say one thing but do another? Culture matters. Here are key factors to consider when facing cultural issues during an audit: C - Communication U - Understanding L - Leadership T - Trust U - Unity R - Respect E - Engagement Want to sharpen your audit skills and learn how to navigate cultural challenges? Let’s talk about my specialized audit training.

On World Mental Health Day, I'd like to talk about something I call 'mental-health-washing.' When I was in college, I took a class on greenwashing — where companies spend more money marketing themselves as environmentally-friendly than they do on actually protecting the environment. Unfortunately, the exact same thing is happening with mental health. There are so many companies out there spending a huge amount of money and energy to market themselves as mental health-supportive — yet who consistently fail to make the systemic changes that would actually meaningfully support employee well-being. Here are some common examples of mental-health-washing: — Putting executives on stage at fancy summits to talk about how much they care about well-being, while failing to establish a culture where employees can actually take care of their well-being (unfortunately, more often than not, they're creating a culture that actively harms it) — Weaponizing mental health topics like resilience, optimism, the growth mindset as a way to shut down honest conversations and employee boundaries — Hiding behind a mission of 'doing good in the world' while over-working and under-supporting the employees who are actually doing that work — Permitting toxic leaders to stay in their roles because they're high performers, even though their behavior has a deleterious effect on their team members and the organization's culture — Offering webinars about how to take care of your well-being, but never providing the time, space, or support to actually implement those strategies and/or discriminating against those who do — Publicly talking about how much they respect and support their employees, but never addressing ongoing, preventable sources of employee stress and suffering — Celebrating those who 'work the longest' or 'push the hardest' or 'sacrifice the most,' a practice that clearly tells your employees what is valued and rewarded — Promoting your culture of belonging, equity, and inclusion, while also permitting discrimination and inequitable behavior towards employees with different identities, needs and backgrounds — Running employee surveys and making a big deal about how important their feedback is, but never making meaningful changes that address employee concerns — CEOs conducting layoffs, saying "I have made huge mistakes, this is on me," while never once considering cutting their own compensation or removing themselves from the organization to actually protect their employees — Maintaining absurd executive-employee pay ratios that leave many of their employees struggling to survive and to meet their basic needs Companies: you can do better. There are many meaningful ways that you can start actually create a workplace that supports mental health. Just like with greenwashing, I think that it's time that we hold you accountable for aligning what you say with what you do.

The phrase "crashing out" is rapidly gaining traction, describing a breaking point where employees, overwhelmed and exhausted, impulsively disengage—sometimes even quitting without a backup plan. This trend reflects a deeper crisis of mental fatigue, burnout, and a collective inability to cope with prolonged stress and intense workplace pressures. It’s a symptom that goes beyond simple job dissatisfaction, stemming from a fundamental disconnect between individual needs and organizational support. Research highlights several core reasons behind this phenomenon: employees' quest for progress isn't being met; they feel a loss of control, a misalignment with company values, or simply need to take a critical next step in their lives. Coupled with inadequate communication, poor performance management, and a lack of psychological safety, these factors create environments where stress turns into systemic overload, leading individuals to hit a wall. For HR leaders, this is a critical call to action. To stem the tide of "crashing out" and foster a resilient workforce, consider these essential responses: Prioritize Individual Progress: Understand each employee's unique career quest and provide pathways for skill development, challenge, and advancement. Enhance Communication & Transparency: Establish clear, consistent communication channels, ensuring employees feel informed, heard, and supported. Vague benefit details or unclear performance metrics are no longer acceptable. Revamp Performance Management: Move beyond annual reviews to continuous, supportive feedback that clarifies expectations and helps employees align their work with their goals. Cultivate Psychological Safety: Create an environment where employees feel safe to express vulnerability, set boundaries, and admit when they are not okay, without fear of repercussions. Normalize Rest & Well-being: Actively promote work-life balance and model healthy boundaries. Invest in mental health resources and peer support systems to build a more resilient workforce. Empower Managers: Equip leaders with the tools and training to have ongoing, empathetic conversations about well-being and progress, truly knowing their teams' needs. Addressing "crashing out" isn't just about retention; it's about building a sustainable, human-centric workplace where employees can thrive. https://lnkd.in/eYRGhZ3g #HR #EmployeeWellbeing #Burnout #WorkplaceCulture #HumanResources #FutureOfWork #EmployeeEngagement

The Silent Productivity Killer No One Wants to Talk About As we mark Stress Awareness Month, I'm calling out the elephant in the professional room: the toxic dance between #stress and #anxiety that's destroying our potential. Here are three radical ways to reclaim your mental space: ✅ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. Constant availability isn't hustle. It's self-destruction. When you protect your time and energy, you're not being difficult - you're managing your anxiety and preserving your mental health. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Create dedicated focus blocks in your calendar where meetings are off-limits. This is your time for deep, meaningful work that actually moves the needle and provides relief from mounting professional anxieties. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵. Your value isn't measured by how quickly you respond or how many meetings you attend. Anxiety thrives in constant comparison and perpetual performance mode. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Carve out regular reflection time to review your genuine progress. Disconnect from the noise, challenge your anxious thoughts, and reconnect with your actual goals and achievements. ✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. High performance isn't about endurance. It's about sustainable energy and protecting your most valuable resource - your mental clarity and emotional well-being. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Create a shutdown ritual that signals the end of your workday, helps quiet anxious thoughts, and allows you to disconnect and recharge truly. -- Burnout does NOT make you stronger. Anxiety does NOT define your worth. They drain your potential. Productivity isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters while protecting your mental health. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Follow Joshua Miller #StressAwarenessMonth #MentalHealth #ProfessionalGrowth

New report out from Great Places to Work. And it's got some news for companies with office mandates. GPTW surved 4,000 workers in the U.S. and found that mandates lead to higher turnover and disengagement...which I don't think is so new. But some of the detailed stats really jumped out at me: Employees with choice in where they worked are: 🤯 14x less likely to “quit and stay” 🚨 - 3x more likely to want to stay with their organization - More likely to report giving extra effort on the job - More likely to have a good relationship with their manager And yet, 7 in 10 workers say their company mandates where they work. And 64% of employees without mandates report having a psychologically and emotionally healthy work environment, compared to just 51% of employees with mandates. I know it's not a *massive* survey, and only limited to the U.S., but I see a lot of posts touting company performance or inclusion on Great Places to Work surveys and lists...so I think this one might make some news. What do you think? Link in the comments. #futureofwork #remotework #hybridwork #engagement #wellbeing #returntowork #attrition #quietquitting

Work is taking a toll on employees' health. I'm not referring to the workload here. It's the workplace culture. The SHRM data is clear: 94% of workers say civility is essential to their mental health. So when incivility shows up, the mental and emotional impact is immediate and measurable. Here’s what's happening: 🚨 50% feel stressed. 🚨 37% feel burned out.. 🚨 28% struggle to concentrate. This is a crisis for employees and employers. Because when mental health suffers, performance, retention, and productivity suffer too. In Q2 2025, U.S. organizations lost an estimated $2 billion a day in productivity and absenteeism due to incivility. Each uncivil act costs workers an average of 37 minutes in lost focus. And when employees feel unsupported by their manager after an incident, they’re nearly 48% more likely to be looking for another job compared to those who receive strong support. So let's stop tiptoeing. If you manage people, you shape culture. If you lead a team, you set the tone. Civility is about creating the conditions where people can think, contribute, and stay well. This is NOT optional. This is the job. #SHRM #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealth #Leadership #CivilityAtWork

Vivek Murthy the US Surgeon General has put a strategic priority on workplace #mentalhealth and #wellbeing. And that’s why he is my #SundayShoutOut today. ⬇️ Are you aware of his statistics? 🔅 76% of Americans have experienced at least one symptom of a mental health condition in the past year. 🔅 84% said that their workplace contributed to this. That is why as Surgeon General he has made this his strategic priority. Meaning - in his eyes this is the most significant public health threat we are facing. Mental Health - burnout, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, loneliness, isolation. ⬇️ This is his proposed framework to tackle it in the workplace. Moving from a “me (employee)” issue to a “we (organizational)” issue. We can no longer expect the one struggling to take the initiative when in most cases the organizational environment is contributing to the struggle in the first place. Collectively, this framework has everything to do with how seen, heard, valued, and cared for one feels at work. This framework dives deeper than current EQ and leadership training and doesn't come intuitively for most managers and organizations. These are not some "soft" skills that you learn at home. They can be messy and awkward. And therefore this training needs to be baked into organizational learning and development. Because they may be *the* most critical leadership skills you can have going into the next decade to tackle our mental health crisis. Keep fighting for this change Vivek! It’s why I’m shouting you out today. #ShowingUp #SupportiveLeadership 👋 If you want to know what a leadership development framework looks like to tackle this, please reach out.

I never encourage people to stay where they are being harmed. So if you can leave, make that move! However, if you can't immediately do so, or you’re in the hallway waiting for the next door to open, here’s what you can do: 1. Elevate your emotional intelligence even if that of your manager is low. You don't have to lower yours. You can still lead without the title. High emotional intelligence isn’t reserved for people managers. Your actions and attitude can inspire others, regardless of your position. Use your voice. Speak up to be added to projects and do your research on professional development courses or conferences you'd like to participate in.🗣️ 2. Advocating for yourself is crucial in any career. Don't be afraid to express your interest. Researching and being well-prepared shows your commitment and dedication to your growth, which can be appreciated by your superiors…or recruiters. 3. Avoid the gossip. Create your boundaries and maintain them. Office gossip can be tempting, but it rarely leads to anything positive. Dodging the dissing will maintain your integrity and build a reputation as someone who is trustworthy and professional. And when you leave, you can leave with your hands and mind clean. 4. Journal to release and document to defend. Keeping a journal can be a powerful tool for managing stress and documenting your experiences at work. Use it to release your emotions. It can also serve as a record of your accomplishments and interactions, which can be handy when it comes time for performance reviews or addressing workplace issues. 5. Find a therapist if you can—process work issues outside of work. Work-related stress and challenges can take a toll on your mental well-being. Seeking therapy is a proactive step to ensure you have a safe and confidential space to discuss your concerns, manage stress, and develop coping strategies. I tell all my clients to prioritize their well-being over everything. And that they have more power and agency than they know. Be strategic with how you practice self-care around work. Toxic workplaces can really do a number on you. Know your limits. Drop a 💡 if you found these helpful.