Friday Coffee with MAP - April 26, 2024

Hello, and welcome to Friday Coffee with MAP!

This week, we look at new findings that speak to the true foundations of wellbeing in the workplace. Recent years have seen a meteoric rise in mental health programs being offered to employees by their companies. And while offering these programs may be a point of pride for some organizations, a recent Oxford study measured the effect of popular workplace mental health interventions, and discovered that they had little to no overall benefit. This surprising conclusion forces us look at what conditions really benefit employee mental health.

Happy reading!

Workplace Wellness Programs Have Little Benefit, Studies Find
_{by Ellen Barry for The New York Times}

From mindfulness seminars to massage classes to sleep apps, employee mental health services are a billion-dollar industry. But a recent study of over 46k workers suggests these services don't necessarily improve well-being, when compared to colleagues who don't participate.

The study examined 90 distinct interventions enabled by in-office mental health services and made an intriguing discovery: among all of the services offered there was one notable exception– only one mental health service that showed consistent boosts in employee happiness: workers given opportunities for charity or volunteer work showed improved well-being.

This analysis suggests that employers concerned about workers’ mental health would do better to focus on “core organizational practices” like schedules, pay and performance reviews.

However, doing away with these practices altogether may be an overcorrection. These findings do not change the fact that practices like mindfulness can have a positive effect. Controlled studies have consistently demonstrated lower stress and decreased anxiety and depression after mindfulness training.

Founders of office mental health companies are understandably critical of the survey’s findings, saying that it does not allow respondents to adequately track progress over extended periods of time.

A key takeaway from the findings are that while mental health programs in the office may provide positive pathways for growth, they will not allay the mental burden of burnout, low pay, and poor culture.
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So tell us: Have you ever used a mental health service offered by an employer, and how did it change your relationship to your job?

We’re looking forward to hearing from you! Have a wonderful weekend.

Thank you,

The MAP Team

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