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A January 2025 poll by the National Alliance on Mental Illness found that the workforce believes mental health at work is important, but they’re in need of more information and support from leadership. The data indicates that respondents would feel comfortable if coworkers talked to them about their mental health, but that the respondents themselves worried about negative impacts if they talked about their own mental health concerns.

Addressing mental health concerns directly helps improve employers’ bottom lines, as employees who are mentally healthy are more likely to be engaged, have higher levels of productivity, and tend to be more loyal to the organization. To support mental health, put in place initiatives like employee assistance programs. Promote work-life balance and encourage breaks. Offer flexible hours and remote work when needed and available. And educate your leadership on the correlation between mental well-being and job performance.

Leaders need to take a timely approach to supporting mental health challenges when they arise in workplaces. This helps improve outcomes for the employees as well as reducing workplace disruptions like time away for care. Being open, communicating, and educating employees about mental health and EAPs can make employees feel more comfortable disclosing their mental health concerns.

In this episode’s listener question, we’re asked about reasons for pursuing an encore career. In the news, we discuss the top 10 most injured professions.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Purple Ink
• Susan Tinder White Consulting
• The 2025 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll
• Mental Health First Aid
• Kourtney on LinkedIn
• Episode 81, ”Encore Careers”
• Episode 192, ”Encore Careers: Finding a New Vocation in the Second Half of Life”
• ”Most Dangerous Jobs in America: Professions with the Highest Risk of Injury”
• SHRM credit evaluation – the SHRM credit code for this episode will expire on May 19, 2026
• JoyPowered® Patreon Page
• JoyPowered® on LinkedIn
• JoyPowered® on Instagram
• Email JoyPowered®

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