Grief is typically associated with the death of a loved one, but it can follow any type of loss. Researchers have spent decades studying different types of loss and one term that is resonating with a lot of people right now is called collective grief.
As many employees are starting to return to the office after more than two years of working from home, the American workforce looks very different than it did pre-pandemic. As we pointed out in one of our recent posts, Americans today are more stressed than ever. Finances and concerns about work are at the top of the list.
Employees are also clear that they do not want things to go back to a pre-pandemic normal when it comes to work. Nearly half (44%) of workers say they want to work remotely three days a week or more post-pandemic. More employees than ever report they are willing to leave their jobs to maintain this flexibility rather then return to the office.
In response to this, companies are enlisting the help of psychologists as they develop plans to bring employees back to the office and retain them in their workforce. A shift towards valuing the work/life balance and mental health of employees is on everyone’s mind. Although important in theory, how do employers put into practice placing value on mental wellness?
We aim to suggest a few key ways that this can be accomplished.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we are continuing our theme of providing education and resources for anyone who is impacted. Which is a lot of us considering recent data suggests that over 50% of Americans will experience mental health problems at some point in their lifetime. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Youth depression rates have doubled since 2012. And mental illness affects people of any age, race, sex, religion, or income.
Stress Awareness Month has been recognized every April since 1992, and this year it seems particularly relevant to highlight.
The term stress is used to describe many different emotional and physical responses including agitation, anger, anxiety, worry, fear and depression. Understanding stress, its impact, and developing ways to cope is a pivotal part of the work psychologists do in therapy with their patients.
Almost two years ago, not many people would have predicted that we would still be in the midst of a pandemic. We have all been coping with extremely uncertain times and many people have lost control over important things in their life such as childcare, job security, finances and certainty about education and healthcare. The reality is that life is filled with uncertainty, and this pandemic has highlighted that worldwide.
Study of human behavior shows that humans crave security. People have an innate desire to feel safe and have a reasonable sense of predictability when it comes to the things that are important to them. Fear and uncertainty have been shown to lead to stress, anxiety, and helplessness. If as 2022 begins, you feel overwhelmed by uncertainty and worry, it is important to know that you are not alone; many people are feeling the same way. It’s also helpful to understand that there are tools you can use to better deal with uncertainty.