Using Technology to Prevent Burnout: Modernizing Workplace Mental Health
Nearly 2 in 3 workers experience burnout. Most of them do not have easy access to the resources needed to help with mental well-being. Employers are now wondering, “How can we better support our employees?” The answer may lie in our growing technological landscape.Nivati, a company focused on providing better mental health resources for employers and employees alike, is looking to change this reality, says Haeli Harris, director of clinical operations at Nivati. Harris spoke during a thought leadership spotlight titled, “Well-Being: What is it? And What Technology Can We Use to Promote it?” at From Day One’s Miami conference.Clients who come to see her often have an imbalance of some kind. Seeking out and solving that imbalance can be a challenge, says Harris. While 46% of workplace employees report diagnosable mental illnesses, more than half of them will not seek professional treatment, according to a study from the National Library of Medicine.“It’s not always just something wrong with the mind. Sometimes there’s social pieces, career pieces, their environment, the places that they’re in,” she said, “and so we really want to be thinking about all of those different areas.”Using data collected from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, she said, leaders at Nivati have discovered just how being off-balance affects employees’ mental and physical health. Each person is different in how they manage stressors, says Harris. “Well-being isn’t a one-size-fits-all.”To help workers, employers should first understand barriers to finding therapeutic solutions. Many who do not get treatment cite lack of transportation or availability as well as cost for reasons why they cannot reach the care they need. In the workplace, there is an additional barrier—the stigma around admitting mental health struggles. Some may feel they would rather handle it themselves than go to their employer, says Harris.The Effects of BurnoutBurnout plays a large role in this dynamic. Looking at the numbers, a 2022 Aflac WorkForces report found 59% of workers experience burnout.Haeli Harris of Nivati led the thought leadership spotlight “A lot of people feel pretty hopeless in how we fix this,” said Harris. “We’re trying to encourage people. Let’s not give up. Let’s think of those attitudinal barriers and what we can do in the workplace to help with those.”Burnout does not begin with the mental and physical collapse of a worker. There are stages and signs that burnout is coming. Employees first feel burned out for a variety of reasons, including a sense that their workplace is not concerned with their well-being. While workplaces provide health insurance, there are often other ways to support employees and address feelings of burnout.Employees will start calling out of work, Harris says. They find they can not focus as well, and their productivity starts to decline. They stop practicing self-care, and lack either access to or willingness to see a counselor. Employees will eventually cease discussing their career goals with their employers, as they no longer have the energy to produce high-quality work.Using Technology to HelpStudies have found if employers directly address the importance of well-being, mental health and self-care, the employees are less likely to experience burnout. “We want to encourage people to continuously learn, not just about the things they do at their job, but about mental health, too,” Harris said.Employers can help by increasing access to several pillars of self-care and focusing on supportive leadership. In her own workplace, Harris recommends promoting meditation and mindfulness.Meditation and mindfulness are centuries-old practices that encourage living in the present moment. For many, this could mean spending time in nature. For others, mindfulness could mean practicing yoga and focusing on more physical solutions to stress or anxiety. Many utilize apps, classes, programs and video guides to reach a sense of emotional peace. The concept and positive impact of mindfulness, Harris said, “is clinically proven.”Well-being in the workplace doesn’t stop there. Employers can also offer supportive leadership by way of training directed at managers, who can then be better-equipped to both recognize and help when the early stages of burnout begin in employees. She recommends hosting one training each quarter. The availability of online, remote training means employers can access these much easier and more reliably.An important piece of the puzzle surrounding mental health is physical health. Wellness incentive programs, like providing gym memberships or walking challenges, has a marked positive effect on employees’ connections to their work. Physical exercise helps alleviate feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. Movement and exercise can directly curb those looming feelings of burnout and mental exhaustion in the workplace.Even for mostly remote workplaces, Harris said keeping up on communication apps such as Slack will help employers stay connected to their employees.The Social Aspects of WorkOften a symptom of burnout is an employee feeling underappreciated for their work. It does not have to be that way. Employee recognition and consistent acknowledgement of a workers’ efforts can lift them up and feel more motivated to continue with high-quality work. There are also ways to “use these apps and all the technology that is out there,” she said.Each quarter, Nivati hosts book clubs through their preferred communication app. Apps like Calm or Headspace are popular for workplaces looking to “provide quiet places and then encourage mindfulness practices,” she said.Having employee-focused training is another way to promote these types of self-care techniques. Nivati consults with nutritionists, financial coaches and personal trainers—to name a few—who offer personal development programs. Nivati has an on-demand video library with different types of programs doing just this, she said, which is “a great opportunity for people to go and choose what they want to learn.”“Psychological safety is a big thing that’s been talked about more for companies, and I think it’s important that we do think about how our leaders are showing they have an open door,” Harris said.Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Nivati, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight.Sydney Brown is a freelance journalist from Vancouver, WA. Her work has appeared in The Seattle Times, The Spokesman-Review and The Columbian.
