Dr. Vivek Murthy, United States Surgeon General, presented a new Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace yesterday, defining the fundamental role that workplaces should play in improving the health and well-being of workers and our communities.
As seen by accounts of “silent resigning” and the Great Resignation, the COVID-19 epidemic has altered the nature of work and the relationship between certain workers and their employers for many.
As per HHS, workplaces play a huge role in defining our mental and physical health, given that more than 160 million Americans participate in the labor market and that the average full-time worker in the United States spends almost half of their waking hours at work. Employers have the chance to not only invest in the mental health and well-being of their employees but also to increase the success of their enterprises by doing so.
According to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, a healthy workforce is the cornerstone for strong businesses and healthier communities. “As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, we have the chance and the ability to create workplaces engines for mental health and well-being, and this Surgeon General’s Framework demonstrates how we might begin.
It will need organizations to reconsider how they protect workers from danger, promote a sense of connection among workers, demonstrate to workers that they matter, provide space for their lives outside of work, and support their development. It will be worthwhile, as both workers and organizations will reap the benefits.”
