April 4, 2021
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Whose job is it to care for employees’ psychological well-being?
On a fundamental level, it’s up to employees themselves. “Therapy, medicine, meditation, whatever that may be—that’s something that needs to happen at the individual level,” says Kelly Greenwood, founder and CEO of Mind Share Partners, a nonprofit that advises companies on supporting mental health in the workplace.
But for many people, this is harder than it used to be. Those of us working from home are working more—an additional 2.5 hours per week on average—than we were before the pandemic. Those who have to report to a physical location for work might be stressed about the risk of exposure to Covid-19, or at the prospect of bringing it home to family members. In either case, many employees have lost touch with co-workers who previously provided “weak tie” friendships, which have a profound effect on our happiness despite their superficiality. And without many of the typical means to relieve workplace stress, like going to the gym or seeing friends, we are more likely to turn to less healthy coping strategies, such as substance use.