Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental health is becoming a less taboo topic to discuss among peers since the COVID-19 pandemic began a few years ago. Businesses are doing more to provide for the personal wellness of employees, as is evident in a recent survey of more than 2,000 adults by the American Psychological Association, which showed 71% of respondents feel their employer is more concerned about their mental health compared to the past. From my perspective, this is the case across much of the credit union industry and especially at Affinity Federal Credit Union.

Why It’s Important to Discuss Mental Health Care

As a longtime human resources executive, I’ve seen the effect personal issues can have on employees. They may not be able to put their best foot forward in their day-to-day work, which could have a trickle-down effect on their colleagues and people they serve. If an employee is struggling, managers should consider having a conversation with the person, not just because they feel they have to, but to show they care. This is a great opportunity to discuss mental health services offered by their company that are at the employee’s disposal. These may include programs available through the institution’s insurance provider or other third-party partnerships. If a leader makes him or herself available and approachable to acknowledging an employee’s mental health, they’ll notice improvements in production, loyalty to the organization and services they provide to the end customer or member. To see someone go from struggling to thriving is a beautiful thing to watch, and having the ability to help them on that journey is a gift.

What Credit Unions Can Do

The best thing a credit union or any organization can do to show it cares about the mental health of its staff is to make its workplace culture the best it can be. Make it a safe environment for employees to ask for help. Let them know it’s more than acceptable to come forward by removing any stigma surrounding mental well-being, and include the topic in routine check-ins and meetings with the whole team. Do this through internal communications and establishing and building upon programs and benefits, putting words into actions.

For the past five years, Affinity has been on a journey to continually improve our mental health services for employees. We offer:

• An extremely robust employee assistance program;
• Mental health counseling covered by our health insurance plans; and
• Programs that improve upon the well-being initiatives for our employees so that they continue to thrive.

Our leadership and People and Culture teams have also taken a pledge, holding themselves accountable for fostering a psychologically safe workplace – a judgment free environment where their peers can feel comfortable to ask for help.

We recently partnered with a new EAP provider, Spring Health, on a mental health care benefit program provided to all employees, whether they’re on our benefits plan or not. After a short assessment, users have access to a list of helpful resources tailored to their answers, including articles, therapy and group chats or meetings. One amazing aspect of this program is it provides an employee with options for therapists based on their needs and desires within three days of taking the assessment. As an example, if an employee is looking for a professional who understands issues that may impact the LGBTQ+ community, the employee can request a therapist who specializes in that area.

Our People and Culture department also sends out a weekly newsletter, providing our staff with tips and resources for managing their mental health care and overall well-being.

Managing Workplace-Related Stress

There are a multitude of ways employees can help manage their work-related stress. Set boundaries when it comes to the workday. If afforded an hour lunch break, use that time to eat and unwind – meditate, exercise, utilize the Employee Assistance Program or speak with a mental health professional. Everyone manages stress differently, so understanding what brings peace during a typical workday is critical.

Affinity prides itself on prioritizing well-being – both for our members, through the services we offer and interactions we have with them, and for our employees. I believe mental health is at the core of each facet of well-being – whether a person feels as though they’re struggling, surviving or thriving. If someone is in a positive headspace, they can thrive in every other element of their life. However, if someone is struggling, they may have a tough time managing their day to day lives, including being a contributing member to their team at work. Additionally, someone not feeling strong mentally may have a much more difficult time asking for help.

More Work to Be Done

While a lot of progress has been made across the credit union industry, all institutions should aim to remove any workplace stigmas surrounding mental health, and make their branches and offices healthy and safe for all employees. One way to get there is to acknowledge and change any unconscious biases toward people with mental health needs. Our employees, colleagues, family and communities are not “less than” because of a mental health need. Just as we wouldn’t pass judgment on someone having cancer and needing a holistic treatment plan, the same can be said about mental health. We also must understand that people ask for help in different ways. Be sure to make your benefits offerings diverse and inclusive to account for all groups of people.

Pam Cohen is SVP of People, Culture and Administration at the $4.6 billion, Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Affinity Federal Credit Union.