HBR Guide to Better Mental Health at Work (HBR Guide Series)

CHAPTER 12

Asking About Your Team’s Mental Health Without Overstepping

by Deborah Grayson Riegel

Talking about mental health at work can feel tricky at best and terrifying at worst. And not talking about it can become a vicious cycle—the less conversations happen, the more the stigma grows. To break this cycle, managers have to address mental health proactively, strategically, and thoughtfully.

You have a responsibility to your employees to create an open, inclusive, and safe environment that allows them to bring their whole selves to work. Leaders at all levels need to put mental health “on the table”—to talk about it, invite others to talk about it, and work actively to develop resources and plans for their employees. Doing so will increase ...