The last few years have been a rollercoaster ride for most companies. Someday, we will look back at the pandemic- with its lockdown, its general disruption and its subsequent Great Resignation as the stone that started the ripple that re-created the modern workplace. The most successful businesses have had to pivot and respond to the demands of today’s workforce that emerged from the pandemic with new expectations.
Leading the charge for change are the members of Generation Z- the oldest of whom are 25. They demand to be seen as whole entity that should be supported as such. They are prioritizing mental wellness. And study after study shows that they expect tangible employer support. And, unfortunately, they were the generation to report the greatest mental health challenges because of the pandemic.
Research conducted recently by SHRM found that 61% of Generation Z respondents said they would strongly consider leaving their current job if offered a new one with significantly better mental health benefits.[1] That’s over half of respondents in that study! Could the solution to the challenge of high employee turnover be as simple as listening to the employee population and aligning the benefits with their needs?
Mental health benefits are a cost-effective way to support an employee population. And, often the benefits are simple to administer and serve as an additional system of social support for the workforce. Examples include:
Conduct Mindfulness Training During Onboarding
Onboarding today is more than just reading the company policy manuals. The highest performing businesses are now providing mental health training including stress management, breath work and stress combat strategies, in conjunction with their traditional employee onboarding.
Train and Encourage Managers to Serve as Wellness Role Models
It starts at the top. Managers must be encouraged to serve as mental health advocates. Simply put, this is a learned process that management must be trained for.
Offer Personal Coaches
Therapy can be great, but unfortunately, there is often a stigma in the business realm, especially among older generations. Also, many employee challenges are often more in alignment with proper coaching than with clinical therapy. By providing access to everyone, a business or life coach can connect with individuals for 30 minutes a week. These conversations can help the employee to excel in all areas of their life, and that carries over to impact the business in a positive way.
Provide Mental Health Training to Managers
The goal is not to turn managers into therapists; rather, the goal should be to educate them on showing compassion without overstepping boundaries or prying in a way that might make the employee uncomfortable.
We are not living and working in traditional times. Practices we grew accustomed to can now be seen as antiquated. Best performing companies are recognizing this fact and shaping the culture to accommodate their employees in this new era we find ourselves working in. Maybe the secret of employee retention is as simple as providing them with what they need.
[1] “Gen Z Expects Mental Wellness Support from Employers”, Society for Human Resource Management, 2023.