Black American workers face greater barriers to mental health support in the workplace, compared to White, Hispanic/Latino and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) US workers, according to new research.
The study carried out by The Hartford and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that Black US workers are more likely to rate their mental health as “fair/poor” and less likely to say their company had empathetic leadership and an open, inclusive work environment that encourages a mental health dialogue. Black American workers are also more likely to say they encounter difficulty in discussing mental health in the workplace due to their race/ethnicity, cultural background, and gender identity.
Moreover, Black workers are more likely than White workers to say they have experienced exclusion, hostility, a culture of inequity, microaggressions, and discrimination at their job that affected their mental health. In contrast, AAPI workers are more likely to report “excellent/very good” mental health, with open inclusive workplaces with empathetic leaders, supportive co-workers, and flexible schedules.
BOOSTING MENTALLY HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENTS
“All Americans deserve safe, supportive and mentally healthy work environments,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. “By sharing data that illustrates the intersection of mental health and people’s identities, we strive to promote empathy and equity in more workplaces. It is vital that companies continue to break down stigma and prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion. Together, we can make a difference and improve the lives of millions of US employees and their families.”
For the second consecutive year, the workers’ compensation and employee benefits provider and the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organisation announced their research during the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Their shared goal is to boost mental health awareness and use of resources that support worker wellness.
“This July and beyond, we are honouring Bebe Moore Campbell’s legacy by joining forces with companies, like The Hartford, to break down barriers, emphasize our shared humanity, and promote mental wellness in the workplace,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H Gillison Jr. “It is crucial to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and ensure that every individual, regardless of race, culture or identity, has access to the support and resources they need to thrive.”
CREATING MENTALLY SUPPORTIVE WORKPLACES
While US companies showed improvements in creating a mentally supportive workplace year over year, White and AAPI workers are more likely to report favourable workplace experiences, compared with Black and Hispanic/Latino workers.
| White | AAPI | Hispanic/Latino | Black | |||||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| I am/would be comfortable talking to my co-workers about my mental health | 43% | 48% | 46% | 35% | 32% | 36% | 36% | 29% |
| My company’s leadership, including managers/supervisors, are empathetic and take a genuine interest in employees’ lives | 64% | 57% | 61% | 44% | 47% | 46% | 38% | 40% |
| My company provides employees with flexibility in work schedules to get mental health help | 54% | 48% | 60% | 40% | 41% | 39% | 43% | 33% |
| My company has an open and inclusive work environment that encourages a dialogue about mental health | 50% | 43% | 55% | 42% | 44% | 36% | 41% | 33% |
HOW IDENTITY & INTERSECTIONALITY IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH
Survey findings also showed various aspects of identity can affect mental health at work, such as age, race, gender, and job. That intersectionality was also illustrated in verbatim quotes about barriers to speaking out about mental health at their company. For example:
- “My race, sexuality, age and almost every aspect of my identity makes it hard to be my authentic self in the workplace.”
- “I am a racial minority and a female in a male-dominated workplace.”
- “I’m a gay man working in a retail environment that is not typically supportive of different people.”
CONNECTIONS & BELONGING
White working Americans are also more likely to report a strong personal connection with co-workers, a sense of belonging at work, and alignment with company values than Black and Hispanic/Latino workers, revealed the study.
| White | AAPI | Hispanic/Latino | Black | |
| I feel comfortable being my true self at work | 72% | 67% | 55% | 67% |
| I have a sense of belonging at my work | 71% | 63% | 55% | 49% |
| My values align with my company’s values | 62% | 57% | 50% | 42% |
| I have strong personal connections with my coworkers | 61% | 56% | 40% | 47% |
EMPLOYER ACTIONS
The majority of US workers (61%) said they want to work for a company that prioritises its employees’ mental health. The survey data revealed actions that employers could take to break down stigma and foster inclusion:
- Enlist senior leaders to lead company initiatives to dispel stigma and normalise talking about mental health. At The Hartford, Swift has spoken publicly, without judgment, about mental health, addiction, and other wellness topics.
- Provide company-wide mental health education so that all employees can provide peer-to-peer support and know where to turn for help. The Hartford provides training to managers on mental health fundamentals and a mental health ally badge programme for all employees to identify themselves as a source for support.
- Create or sustain employee resource groups (ERG) that are safe, accepting spaces. The Hartford has nine ERGs, many of which have held events aimed at supporting better mental health.
Access the full report here.
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