Alexandria, VA — MHA is pleased to release a new report focused on the American workforce and mental health, Creating a Healthy Workplace: Impact of Supervisor Support and Company Culture. The findings of this new report complement and expand upon a 2019 study that showed that supervisor communication and a company culture of safe and open communication are correlated with an employee’s motivation, confidence, and pride.
This report expanded upon that understanding, by conducting research that goes beyond those actively seeking mental health support - making clear that across both a help-seeking and non-help-seeking population, an organisational culture of safe and open communication and supervisor support and guidance are important for increasing employee engagement and well-being and creating an overall mentally healthy workplace for all employees.
Across both populations:
- Supervisor communication is correlated with safety in reporting ethical violations and areas for improvement in the workplace.
- Feeling comfortable to report dishonest or unfair practices was most correlated with pride (whether you would recommend your workplace to others).
- Among all employee well-being measures, pride was the most correlated with supervisor communication and a company culture of safe and open communication.
- People who are the most stressed also reported they were in companies where it was safer to remain silent about their personal problems.
Therefore, it is imperative that supervisors and other company leadership take action to create a culture of communication and support that will benefit not only those employees that may be seeking resources for their mental health, but every employee in the workplace. Doing so will ultimately improve overall operations.
“We know that company culture and engagement can affect employees’ confidence and satisfaction with their jobs,” said Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO of MHA. “Management should take note – when supervisors support and provide their employees with guidance, it creates a company culture where employees feel equipped and motivated to perform their job well.”
MHA’s research is part of an ongoing commitment to uncover workplace disparities and addressing the psychological needs of the workforce. MHA seeks to explore factors in work environments that influence employee engagement, workplace stress, and mental health. The research results help inform programs that can be developed and guidance we can give companies to make all workplaces in America successful and healthy.