This article summarizes a discussion between Jeff Davis, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and Ajmal Razmy, MD, Psychiatrist at Cleveland Clinic Canada, that took place at CFA Society Toronto’s webinar on November 3, 2021, “Focusing on Mental Health: An Overdue Discussion for the Investment Community.”

Defining wellness

Well-being means different things to different individuals at various points in their lives. Dr. Razmy defined it as a fluctuating enterprise: a goal more than a state, which each individual should incorporate as part of their regular regimes. It is important to keep in mind that that there is no wellness without mental well-being.

Strengthening your mental muscles

Just like Olympic athletes diligently work on their physical fitness to stay competitive, there are daily routines that a corporate “athlete” must follow to exercise their mental fitness. A healthy diet, sound sleep, physical exercise, and meditation are great ways to support your mental fitness. At first you may be reluctant to incorporate these activities into your daily routine, but over time, you may find that paying attention to these factors allows you to work more efficiently and be ready to tackle each day at your top performance level.

Facing the stigmas associated with mental health

Silence is a serious barrier to improving mental health because reducing the stigma around opening up about mental health is typically at the bottom of corporate agendas. There may also be personal barriers to addressing poor mental health—which may manifest as feelings of shame, for example—so many hide or ignore it when their mental well-being declines.

Senior leadership can boost the well-being of their teams by talking about mental health in a non-judgmental manner. There is great power in storytelling, so by opening up about it first, leaders can melt away barriers and facilitate a safe space where everyone feels free to express their thoughts. Reducing stigma is one of the turnkeys to improving mental health in any organization.

Exploring burnout

The term “burnout” has been used for four decades. Burnout is not a medical diagnosis but an occupational syndrome, which may help explain why there is more acceptance and openness to talking about it.

There are three main components to burnout:

• Extreme mental exhaustion (coming home from work feeling completely wiped out)
• Increased cynicism
• Feeling that you are not measuring up at work

 Burnout can range widely in severity. A person may still be functioning at work while being burned out (feeling distress and anxiety), but burnout can also be a gateway to deeper problems as severe as suicide.

Undoing the impacts of burnout

Being mindful of your own limitations and being in tune with your body is key to addressing burnout. Try to be aware of your personal anxiety indicators, such as palpitations, talking fast, or being short with your colleagues. These are signals that your body is sending to act as a “circuit breaker” for you to step back and refocus on your mental well-being. Perfectionists are especially prone to burnout. Even though the underlying anxiety driving a person to seek perfection can be a powerful tool in a professional service industry, it takes a toll on well-being that must be considered. Perfection is in reality an unattainable state, as humans (by nature) are flawed. Instead of viewing your goals through the lens of perpetual failure, strive for continual improvement. That’s not to say that we should shed all our perfectionist traits, as these qualities can help us achieve success, but that the practice of being in the moment and letting things go helps reduce burnout.

Reframing the post-pandemic return to the office

Leaders and managers should take some of the positive learnings from the pandemic experience, such as flexibility, and devote more time to work–life balance—especially for professionals with young families. There is a tremendous opportunity to incorporate a hybrid approach to work and improve mental health by reducing burnout.

Conclusion

Both employees and senior leadership should focus on mental health. For individuals, the benefits are clear, as a person simply cannot “upgrade” to a healthy mental state with a purchase. For employers, the benefits will not be obtained overnight, but it can be beneficial to consider a mental-health focused approach to business as a worthy long-term investment. The bottom line is simple: an organization that invests in its employees’ mental health creates a more engaged workforce, has less absenteeism, and enjoys greater employee retention.