DEI is an acronym for diversity, equity, and inclusion. DEI initiatives in the workplace help companies create a work culture that is more diverse and inclusive, addressing the inequity that women, people of color, people in the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities often face.
Implementing sincere and successful DEI initiatives improves representation and leads to a more creative and innovative workforce. These improvements benefit every aspect of an organization.
According to an analysis from Glassdoor, job postings for “D&I” “DEI” and “Diversity Officer” positions have risen 50% since Spring 2020 − which saw the onset of the pandemic and nationwide discontent at continued police shootings of unarmed black citizens. Yet despite DEI finally getting the attention it deserves from corporate America, not all the components that make up a successful DEI strategy are being addressed − notably, mental health.
Anxieties spurred by the pandemic and political turbulence brought to light how ineffective existing approaches to mental health in the workplace were. Simply encouraging employees to seek private treatment does not function as a cure-all, and some employees are more dissatisfied than others.
A 2019 report on mental health in the workplace indicated that younger people (millennials and Gen Z vs. Baby Boomers), people of color, LGBTQ, and people with disabilities were more likely to report that work environment played a part in poor mental health, and many reported leaving previous roles because of a toxic culture.
So what is to be done to prevent turnover, eliminate toxicity, increase workplace satisfaction, and address these mental health concerns?
The first step is admitting you have a problem
To create effective DEI policies it must be acknowledged that mental health has been excluded. Since the onset of the pandemic, HR departments have begun to take note of shifts in workplace culture. With anxiety, fear, and stress due to COVID creeping into workplaces, the feelings of negativity were palpable and often led to tense and stressful work environments that bordered on toxic. For lack of a better term, many were getting bad vibes. And bad vibes tend to be infectious, spreading throughout employee ranks if left unchecked, leading to stalled productivity and a decrease in synergy.
The second step is admitting you have another problem
Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community are often subject to prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and microaggressions in the workplace. Exacerbating this is that if these issues are brought to superiors, they are often not taken seriously and may even elicit retaliation. This is in addition to the fact that many in these groups are held to higher performance standards and carry the workload while peers coast by. These inequities make these groups most at risk for dissatisfaction and negative feelings about their work culture. For that reason, initiatives to root out discrimination, prejudice, and exclusion are a required step in improving mental health for all employees.
Ideally, DEI initiatives would also establish mechanisms that amplify those in groups vulnerable to discrimination. Having a voice in the policies that shape one’s workplace goes a long way. Efforts like this acknowledge the overlap between mental well-being and inclusive culture and are crucial in DEI initiatives that include everyone.
Know your workforce
Developing a system for researching the needs of employees is the only way to understand what is necessary to foster satisfaction and content. This knowledge can inform organizational policies, protocols, and company norms that will foster vital DEI initiatives and cultivate better mental health among workforce ranks.
End stigmatization of mental illness
DEI initiatives will never adequately address mental health issues if mental health is surrounded by stigma and judgment in work culture. The best way to eliminate stigma is to establish safe and open lines of communication about mental health. Employees should not feel fear or anxiety at the idea of disclosing a condition, negative feelings, or ongoing issues within the office that contribute to those "bad vibes." To make employees comfortable, superiors will have to be the first to speak up. Create a forum for employees to share experiences with upper management taking the lead.
Medical benefits and a PTO policy that acknowledges mental health
Just as employees should not be afraid to disclose mental health issues, similarly they should never fear needing to take time off to address mental health issues. Mental health days should not raise eyebrows. Whether they are included in PTO packages or sick day allotment, what matters is that employees can take time to regroup and refocus so that they can come back to work the best versions of themselves without the added anxiety of missing a day’s pay.
Also, company medical benefits should include full coverage of mental healthcare. It’s also a good idea to have a familiar and trusted mental health professional available in-office from time to time for either one-on-one counseling or group meetings.
In the end
If DEI initiatives appropriately address mental health, the result will be that discussions about mental health are normalized in the workplace. Management and staff can address issues within the culture together, and seeking treatment or taking time off won’t be judged or stigmatized. And when everyone works together to address the problems as they arise, the result is a workforce that is content and satisfied on the individual level and more focused and productive on a group level.
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