I had a very nice chat with my family today. Enjoyed some lunch with my niece and had a chance to catch up in each other’s lives. But there was something she said that reminded me of something. We have all heard the phrase, “Do as I say not as I do.” I think even my parents used it on me as a child. I know I have to my son. But my niece made a comment about wondering if she should have stayed with her previous job even though it was a toxic environment for her. This reminded me of my own boss getting upset with me when I did anything work related while I was on vacation. More and more corporations will promote mental health, but how many bosses are actively enforcing this?
Since then
I work in a corporate office around 50+ companies of various sizes and industries. I have seen some close-up shop and others reduce their office space since the pandemic. My own office is still allowing employees to have the opportunity to work from home a few days a week. But I am not seeing too many companies pushing to promote mental health in their offices. Office stress is still at all-time highs for many companies. And this is just the corporate industry. Think about the medical and education industries that are not only battling their own issues, but that of the public. (Mental Health in Workforce)
Even Now
Just this last week I watched my boss and my coworkers come into the office and the multiple facial expressions throughout the day told me the story of how their day was going. I watch some struggle and others just get exasperated. And right now, as I sit here visiting out of state, I have had emails and phone calls about work. We are expected to meet the corporate demands, yet “don’t forget to take care of your health.” Are corporations doing enough to help their employees to survive these days?
Some perk to it
Some companies do offer perks to their employees. My office provides chair massages on occasions. One employee a month is able to win free meal service or maid service. Some companies may have a dedicated Corporate Wellness Program Manager to develop and implement various programs in promoting employee mental health. Maybe there are companies that redesign the workplace environment and standards to ease the stress of the employees. What does your company do for you?
Not far enough
Then that also brings thought to how far corporations should go. We all know that one person, whether at work or in our lives, if given an inch will take the mile. You know the person. Tell them they can do something one time and they expect it every time. There are, unfortunately, greedy people that do not care as long as it is free, and it benefits them. So, to avoid being taken advantage of, how much should companies do for their employees, anything?
Will it help
In my opinion, I believe companies should look at the root cause of their employees’ stress. Is it management? Or maybe it is the overall workload? Could it be not the work itself, but the amount of time required or the pay they receive? To be able to fight against stress, you need to understand the stress first. To offer perks without helping the employee cope with the stress doesn’t help them at all. And in some cases, you can actually add to the stress without knowing it.
All about the respect
Companies can do so much for their staff these days. There are ways to provide for your employees that will not reduce profit or impact productivity. As a matter of fact, more people are willing to do more for their employers when they know they are being respected and appreciated. When a company visibly cares, their staff will provide. I hear so many employers wondering where the people are to hire. So many people are trying to get jobs. Unknowingly, both sides are fighting against each other, because neither side is willing to do as they should do. It comes down to respect. For a company to respect their employees, will always find employees that respect their company.
Enjoy this video.
With great warmth,
