Reports on the “Quiet Quit” and The Great Resignation highlight how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way Americans live and work
The framework highlights five essentials for workers in organizations and businesses of all sizes to help leaders develop policies and practices that support the mental health and well-being of workers
(Washington, DC) — Today, the Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy Releases New Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-being in the workplace highlighting the fundamental role that workplaces should play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and our communities. As reports of the “quiet walkout” and the Great Resignation have shown, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work for many and the relationship some workers have with their work.
With more than 160 million people participating in the United States workforce and with the average full-time employee in the United States spending about half of their waking life at work, workplaces play a significant role in shaping our mental and physical well-being. Employers have a unique opportunity not only to invest in the mental health and well-being of their workforce, but also to strengthen the success of their organizations.
“A healthy workforce is the foundation for successful organizations and healthier communities,” said Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, we have the opportunity and power to make workplaces drivers of mental health and well-being, and this Surgeon General’s Framework shows us how we can start. This will require organizations to rethink the way they protect workers from harm, foster a sense of connection among workers, show workers that they matter, create space for their lives outside of work and support their growth. It will pay off, as the benefits will be realized for both workers and organizations.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the relationship between work and well-being into sharper focus for many workers in the US. According to recent polls:
In the Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being in the Workplace, Dr. Murthy outlines five essentials for mental health and well-being in the workplace to help organizations develop, institutionalize and update policies, processes and practices that best support mental health. health and well-being of all workers.
The Surgeon General’s Framework is a public health awareness guide developed to help the American public better understand and respond to the factors that affect health. This particular framework provides the Essentials, a foundation of key components, for workplace leaders to engage all workers and support their mental health and wellbeing equally. It includes evidence-based practices that leaders in workplaces of all sizes and industries can apply to reinvent and empower their organizations.
As the state doctor – the 21st surgeon general of the United States – dr. Murthy has focused much of his work, research and public platform on how the nation can recover from the pandemic stronger than before, including his recently issued Surgeon General’s advice on youth mental health and the well-being of health care workers. The Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellness is part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) ongoing effort to support President Joe Biden’s governmentwide strategy to transform mental health services for all Americans—a key part of the President’s Agenda for Unity reflected in the President’s budget for the fiscal year 2023. Following the President’s State of the Union in March, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra launched the HHS National Mental Health Advocacy Tour to address mental health challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including substance use, youth mental health, and suicide.
You can read the full framework here.
