How do you create a resilient workplace? According to Cisco, "Create an environment where mental health is viewed, spoken about and supported in the same way as physical health."
/This recent CNBC article about mental health issues is interesting and recognizes the costs to organizations when people struggle with poor mential health. This is a key factor in The Resilience Way.
I am including an excerpt from the article describing how Cisco, the multinational tech giant, is dealing with the mental health needs of its employees. This is a key factor of resilience and a great example of what can be done…
Cisco confronts mental health in the workplace head-on
Roughly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. per year suffer from mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The costs to treat depression, stress, anxiety and other ailments exceeds $200 billion a year, and for many employers the number of sick days and lost productivity associated with mental health represent one of their biggest expenses.
The extent of the problem has caught some off guard. Fran Katsoudas, chief people officer at Cisco, recalled that after the deaths of celebrities Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade last year, the company’s CEO, Chuck Robbins, sent out a company-wide email addressing the issues of mental health and suicide.
In it he wrote: “In light of recent tragedies, I wanted to step away from Cisco Live for a moment to talk about the importance of mental health. Unfortunately, we all know friends, family, and coworkers battling mental health conditions, or maybe you’re going through your own struggles.”
Robbins, who took over the CEO role in 2015, encouraged employees to “talk openly and extend compassion” and asked that they “have each other’s backs.”
Katsoudas said the response from Robbins’ email was unlike anything the company had ever seen before. “This was a conversation that our employees wanted to have — and not only the conversation, but they needed support.”
Cisco is optimistic about the opportunity to drive culture change and create an environment where mental health is viewed, spoken about and supported in the same way as physical health.
Cisco spokesperson
Cisco immediately took action to establish a culture of acceptance and pave the way for these conversations. One of their first steps was to include mental health services in the company’s health-care coverage. In addition, Cisco launched #SafetoTalk, which it calls the first virtual community for employees to come forward and connect weekly with others to share their struggles.
“Each of us has a role to play in making sure that those suffering feel less afraid to ask for support in the moments they need it most. No one needs to go it alone,” said Robbins in a note to Cisco employees about #SafetoTalk.
This week Cisco celebrated World Mental Health Day with a series of weeklong activities and virtual event sessions with Cisco employees and mental health experts. Though it’s still early, Cisco claims that 7% of its U.S. workforce is accessing some form of mental health and substance abuse treatment. The programs are available to all of Cisco’s 75,000 employees and 11,000 managers.
“Cisco is optimistic about the opportunity to drive culture change and create an environment where mental health is viewed, spoken about and supported in the same way as physical health,” said a company spokesperson, adding that U.S. engagement for Cisco’s Employee and Family Assistance Program is 40%, compared to 24% for Cisco’s peers.
Despite such programs, according to Katsoudas, there is more to be done, and Cisco is betting that proactive measures could be key.
“In addition to all of these services that respond, we’re also taking a look at how you reduce some of the stress in the system — how you ensure that people don’t get to a place where they feel burned out,” says Katsoudas.
To address this, Cisco is currently offering its employees a five-session course designed to enhance concentration, resiliency and creative thinking, where participants learn simple cognitive strategies and engage in mental training exercises to optimize their performance at work.
Here is the entire article: