2021: Bringing mental health to the boardroom and C-suite

There’s a massive shift among employers to destigmatize mental health needs and support employee mental health as workers are shouldering unprecedented mental health challenges .(Image: Shutterstock)

This year has been hard in so many ways, but perhaps the biggest hit has been to Americans’ collective mental health throughout back-to-back public health and cultural crises. With pervasive problems like COVID-19, an unstable economy, racial injustice, and timely mental health challenges brought about by stress-inducing events like the recent election, it’s no wonder that more than 80% of U.S. workers are experiencing mental health issues in 2020.

As human resources (HR) and benefits leaders reflect on 2020 and look ahead to 2021, they are likely to breathe a sigh of relief as they shut the door on the past year. Like the employees they prioritize day in and day out, many HR and benefits leaders themselves are experiencing mental health struggles amid the turmoil that defined the last 12 months.