By Bernie Wong, Talia Varley, and Seema Parmar, Image: HBR Staff/artisteer/Jose A. Bernat Bacete/Getty Images, Harvard Business Review, September 14, 2023
For new entrants to the workforce, mental health is not only a priority — it’s a necessity. Ninety-two percent of new and upcoming graduates say it’s important that they feel comfortable discussing mental health at work. Sixty-one percent would leave a current role for better mental health benefits, and 54% would turn down a job offer if it didn’t come with work-life balance.
Navigating mental health and the benefits landscape as a new employee can be confusing, to say the least, on top of the everyday demands of the work itself. On the employer side, the marketplace for mental health support is increasingly inundated with benefits, products, perks, and offerings that can be tough to piece together, not to mention tailor to a progressively diverse workforce. The resulting ambiguity and gaps can leave new workers feeling lost, disengaged, and inclined to pursue other opportunities.
So how do we meaningfully support new workforce entrants when it comes to mental health? What actually works? In our work with diverse global employers, we’ve found it’s critical for leaders to create well-informed and innovative strategies tailored to new entrants’ values, challenges, and motivators. Here’s how.
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