While mental well-being is so important for a person to perform their best, it is so little taken care of in the workplace. Seeing as how most adults spend almost half of their lives in their workplace, we need to do better to close the gap. Society in the past looked at mental-health discussion as taboo, a.k.a. left out of the workplace and better kept secret. The problem with this is that avoiding these discussions actually leads to more harm than good. Teamwork tension, work productivity and employee retention all suffer.

It's easy for some of us to find empathy in those who struggle with their mental health or overall well-being. I understand the loneliness, anxiety and social drain this can cause and how hard it can be. While dealing with this is hard enough on it's own, having to report at work and work well while all of these things are locked up inside of you is exhausting. People are afraid to speak up in fear that they'll be reprimanded for talking about things 'unprofessional', or they're worried their employer will give them consequences for their honesty. There is a 'time and place' for these types of discussions to take place, but they should always be offered.

At the same time, I can also empathize with the employer when they themself or their employee is struggling. Many employers are well-experienced in taking the lead and speaking confidently, but mental health is such a sensitive subject. Some have never had a discussion of this type at all, and it can lead to them not knowing what to do or say. They may accidentally convey the wrong message and make the employee feel worse, only causing more tension. It's a hard topic for all, which is why WeCan can help. We provide the tools for this type of communication to take place, giving both parties solid ground to build from.