The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr Vivek H. Murthy, has released his Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing. Its dedication, to all workers who lost their lives during the pandemic and to their families, acts as a powerful call to action to employers, to protect the health and wellbeing of workers – particularly the most vulnerable.
The Framework’s official press release explains:
“A healthy workforce is the foundation for thriving organizations and healthier communities. As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, we have an opportunity and the power to make workplaces engines for mental health and well-being, and this Surgeon General’s Framework shows us how we can start. It will require organizations to rethink how they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show workers that they matter, make space for their lives outside work, and support their growth. It will be worth it, because the benefits will accrue for workers and organizations alike.”
The key takeaways from the report are nicely summed up by this graphic:
Wherever you are in the world, the Framework is definitely worth reading. It echoes much of the evolving narrative around workplace mental health and wellbeing that we are hearing in the UK; calling for employers to step up to their responsibilities, shift from thinking about mental health and wellbeing as an individual responsibility to a collective, organisational priority, take a long-term perspective and embrace systemic changes that will create cultures of care.
You can find out more and download the Framework here.
You might also be interested in:
Make A Difference U.S. Webinar: How to Create a Company Culture That’s Mentally Healthy
The WHO’s new guidelines on mental health: what you need to know
About the author:
Claire Farrow is the Global Director of Content and Programming for www.makeadifference.media, the annual MAD World Summit and The Watercooler Event. She’s on a mission to help every employer – large, medium and small – get the insight, inspiration and contacts they need to make real impact on workplace culture, mental health and wellbeing in their organisation. She has been freelance (by choice) for more than 15 years. During that time, she’s had the honour of working with many leading publishers, including the New York Times.
