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Supporting the mental health of Black employees is critical to an organization’s well-being. Mental health disparities, exacerbated by systemic challenges, stigma, and culture impact the Black community both personally and professionally. By addressing the unique needs of Black employees and helping remove barriers to mental health treatment, organizations can harness the full potential of a diverse and resilient workforce and build a workplace where everyone can thrive.
Black mental health in the workplace
Understanding the mental health challenges faced by Black employees in the workplace is the first step in acknowledging and understanding how to address them. Black team members may endure:
Racial trauma that instills mistrust of others
Experiencing or witnessing racism is known as race-based traumatic stress and can cause mental health symptoms like anxiety, fear, and mistrust of others. The ripple effects are a form of generational trauma that’s passed down through painful memories, history, and learning from others how to survive abuse and racist acts as a child.
Mental and physical fatigue from racial stressors
News and world events related to racial controversy, health threats, and other stressors can bring overwhelm and exhaustion. Microaggressions, either in the form of exclusion or invalidation, can also cause mental fatigue at work. White co-workers may not share the same exhaustion, leaving Black employees to “push through” in an environment that doesn’t recognize their unique stressors.
Pressure to represent their entire race
Black employees who are the first or only person of their race or gender on a team may feel unhealthy pressure to perform perfectly. They may worry that they’re expected to “represent” their entire race, or that they’ll be judged more harshly for making the same mistakes as white team members. Some people from marginalized groups may also worry about being seen as the “diversity hire” instead of acknowledged for their skills and merits.
Unsustained acts of support from others
As race-related news fades from headlines, Black employees may see white co-workers start to lose interest in anti-racist advocacy, which can leave them feeling invalidated, unseen, and disregarded.
Assimilating to the work environment
Many Black employees make daily decisions about how much of their authentic selves to bring to work. Hairstyles, speech patterns, and other details that differ from white cultural norms bring negative repercussions in some workplaces. Constant self-policing to assimilate can leave employees drained.
It’s important to note that some of these issues impact other racial and ethnic minorities, as well as people living in America regardless of racial or ethnic identity. And not all issues will affect all individuals of African descent in the same way, or at all. Understand that these individuals may be managing culturally specific difficulties in addition to—rather than instead of—the issues faced by others.
How employers can support Black mental health
Employers can create an environment that will support mental health and Black people, rather than add to their stressors. This requires flexibility, openness to new ideas, and a willingness to be uncomfortable at times, but the results are well worth it. Here are a few important first steps:
1. Be intentional in your diversity and inclusion efforts all the time, not just when it’s trending
Black employees are living their experiences as Black Americans every day, not just on the days when headlines draw attention to their challenges. They need consistent support over time. Promoting long-term allyship and anti-racism efforts like mandated diversity training programs, mentorship programs, and anti-racism policies at your workplace shows that the company truly cares about their well-being.
Your workplace should also include Black voices at the leadership level. Public statements of support for the Black community ring hollow if Black individuals are absent from your decision-making and executive teams.
2. Offer opportunities to unplug from the work environment
Rather than waiting for your employees to experience burnout or assuming that they’re figuring out a work-life balance on their own, managers should intentionally ask how their direct reports are doing. Show employees that their mental health is a priority by taking actions that align with words. Ways to support employees’ mental health:
- Make it possible to unplug from work by offering flexible work hours and encouraging employees to take paid time off
- Have company-wide days off
- Proactively suggest an employee come in late or leave early
- Limit the number of meetings during the day or call for no-meeting days
- Acknowledge the effort and work of people every day
- Offer resources about keeping healthy work boundaries
These efforts show that your company believes that a person is worth more than their productivity level. Research suggests that this type of flexibility and environment yields more productivity and decreases turnover and burnout rates.
3. Know signs of employee distress and reach out with compassion
Black employees may not reach out to you if they need mental health support, so it’s important to be attuned to subtle signs of distress. These might include:
- Taking more time off than usual
- Seeming fatigued or withdrawn
- Decreased productivity at work
- Mood changes, such as irritability or sadness
- Increased complaints about work or personal life
If you think an employee may be dealing with mental health concerns, approach them with compassion and offer resources to support them.
4. Normalize mental health and asking for help
When managers and company leaders talk openly about their mental health, they send a message to employees that they’re welcome to discuss their challenges. For example, a manager talking about attending therapy can normalize mental health care and help team members feel more comfortable talking about it. Mental health services can be helpful at any point in life, not just during a crisis. Talking about it helps affirm that mental health support isn’t an indication of weakness, which helps destigmatize mental health conditions.
5. Listen to your employees and connect regularly
Be intentional when listening to your employees. Gather their suggestions on how your company can support them. Make this an ongoing conversation, not just one meeting.
6. Provide safe spaces to connect with others
Safe spaces could include things like a dedicated Slack channel, coffee area, lunch, or employee resource group. Offering these options allows people to discuss current events and culturally relevant topics that impact them daily.
7. Provide comprehensive mental health resources and encourage employees to use them
Whether employees are dealing with stress, mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, or more complex needs, you need a comprehensive resource to support them. The most effective mental health benefits address the full range of challenges employees face. To provide accessible, quality care that meets your Black employees’ mental health needs, the benefit should include a racially and ethnically diverse network with therapists and coaches trained in culturally responsive care.
Culturally responsive mental health providers make an intentional and consistent decision to see, respect, and celebrate the aspects that make each person unique. They understand that the context of an individual’s background will impact their perception of the world and current events—and therefore needs to be accounted for in mental health treatment.
At Lyra, we train our network of diverse providers in culturally responsive care, so that people can feel seen, understood, and valued in their sessions. This includes education and training in:
- Intersectional frameworks for understanding clients’ concerns
- Working with diverse populations like LGBTQIA+, Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)
- Working with transgender clients
- Social justice implications for evidence-based treatments
- Understanding white privilege and allyship in therapy
Make Black mental health a priority at your organization
Be a solution to the barriers and challenges facing the Black community. With the right support, your employees can better thrive at home, at work, and in their relationships. Adopting strategies to support Black mental health is a way to tangibly support your workers in the long term and empowers channels of communication to holistically support Black employee mental health needs.
Learn tips for building an inclusive workplace.
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By
Andrea Holman, PhD
Program Manager, Workforce Transformation
1 of February 2024 - 6 min read
BIPOC
Mental health treatment
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