The idea of one’s workplace caring about the mental health of their employees might seem like a construct created by younger generations, who have pioneered things like ‘quiet quitting’ and working remotely. But feeling supported and respected at work is important for everyone. Everyone deserves a safe and supportive work environment where productivity doesn’t come at the expense of your mental health. 

Mental health issues can affect anyone, at any age and any stage in their career. Creating a supportive and open workplace culture benefits everybody by reducing stress, improving morale, and enhancing overall well- being, which leads to higher job satisfaction and performance for employees of all ages. 

How can you tell if your workplace is an environment that fosters employee well- being? An environment that prioritizes mental health will encourage a healthy work- life balance, respect boundaries, and offer rewards and training/ development opportunities for employees to help them grow. There should be clear expectations about employee roles and responsibilities. A supportive environment will also encourage employees to take breaks and use vacation time, and will not expect work to be done during this time. Lastly, your workplace should offer rewards for work well done as well as training and development opportunities to help you grow and meet changing industry standards. 

Prioritizing your mental health in an unsupportive environment can be incredibly difficult. In these settings, it’s important that you show others how you expect to be treated. You can begin by setting boundaries and holding firm. There is value in investing your time and energy into the work you do. However, there’s also something to be said for recognizing your worth. Who benefits when you’re expected to work unpaid overtime? Who benefits when investing turns into sacrifice that comes at the expense of your work/life balance? Does the quality of your work or life increase? 

It’s essential to know your rights as an employee in today’s day and age, when the pursuit of financial gain often comes before the well- being and equitable treatment of employees. One right that has become more widely known in the last few years is the right of employees to discuss their salary with other employees. Not only is it legal to discuss, but it is illegal for anyone to threaten or discourage employees from comparing salaries. This practice is often enforced to hide salary disparities that employers are very aware of. Employees are also allowed to join unions, and it is illegal for employers to threaten termination or changes to benefits in retaliation. 

Many industries have different standards and practices, which may themselves change per state, but this comprehensive list of rights are guaranteed to every employee in the United States. Knowing your rights gives you a solid foundation to work from when establishing boundaries within the workplace. 

You can also seek support from other colleagues, therapy, or friends. There’s tons of literature and social media accounts dedicated to helping you identify these practices in your workplace and offering the right dialogue to start productive conversations.  

The work you do is meaningful. Your time and energy has value. You deserve to be fairly treated and compensated in an environment that supports you. By working to cultivate an environment where you feel valued and supported, you empower yourself and your co-workers and contribute to a greater culture of success and fulfillment.