Many HR professionals, particularly those focused on benefits, are well-acquainted with a persistent challenge in the realm of employee well-being: Despite expressing a desire for and expectation of well-being benefits, employees often hesitate to utilize them when available.
Interestingly, this reluctance extends to HR professionals themselves, as highlighted by researchers from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) during their presentation at the organization’s annual conference. SHRM’s findings revealed that while 89% of HR professionals are aware of their organization’s mental health resources, a significant 26% feel uncomfortable accessing these benefits.
Moreover, nearly half of HR professionals admitted discomfort discussing their own mental health at work, and a notable 35% expressed skepticism about their organization’s genuine concern for their mental well-being.
Presenting these insights at a session focused on HR workers’ mental health, SHRM underscored the heavy responsibility HR leaders bear in caring for their organization’s talent pool. Clayton Lord, SHRM’s director of foundation programs, emphasized that HR professionals often neglect their own well-being, despite finding their work meaningful and forming lasting relationships within their roles.
However, the demands of a career in HR can take a toll, with three-quarters of respondents describing their job as emotionally exhausting and nearly half reporting feelings of burnout.
The unique challenges faced by HR professionals include navigating between executive expectations and employee realities, the emotional strain of difficult conversations, and the profound impact of hearing employees’ stories of hardship.
According to SHRM’s senior researcher Daroon Jalil, there appears to be a significant gap between organizational rhetoric regarding employee well-being and the actual experiences of HR professionals on the ground.
When asked about the mental health benefits that would most support them, HR professionals echoed sentiments common among employees: they value flexibility. Mental health days, flexible scheduling, and occasional remote work were cited as top priorities.
To support HR professionals in their own mental health journeys, SHRM collaborated with One Mind at Work to develop a list of ten steps. These include adopting healthy habits, setting clear boundaries, fostering authentic engagement with colleagues, and becoming more trauma-informed in supporting others.
Despite being aware of these strategies, Clayton Lord acknowledged a discrepancy in implementation, suggesting that HR professionals may not always practice what they advocate. He encouraged HR professionals to prioritize their own well-being and take full advantage of the benefits they work so diligently to promote within their organizations.