In 1949, Mental Health Month was established by Mental Health America, in order to promote mental wellbeing. This year’s theme is “Turn Awareness into Action.” In today’s day and age, we may be more familiar with mental health issues — ranging from anxiety and mood disorders to psychotic and personality disorders — but are we taking meaningful steps towards change? More specifically, are we showing awareness and making changes within the workplace?

Work-related stress can lead to burnout, something experienced by half of workers around the globe. While this is not technically a medical condition (the World Health Organization calls it “an occupational phenomenon”), it can lead to exhaustion, irritability, and decreased productivity.

When an employee is treated unfairly, is not recognized, is taking on too many tasks, is not supported, is given unreasonable deadlines, is not challenged, is expected to complete an unmanageable workload… All of this and more can lead to burnout.

It is an employer's responsibility to help new hires feel welcomed and heard, to communicate clearly with and listen to them, to allow them a healthy work-life balance, and to make sure these things are done regularly and consistently, for however long a team member is around.

Boston Consulting Group found there are four main factors that make people feel included at work: access to resources, managerial support, psychological safety, and equal opportunities for success.

In the security industry, resources can include anything from an in-office counselor to a webpage with links to materials like warning signs, infographics, and helplines. Coworkers can act as resources, especially those in higher positions, and managerial support should involve open communication (an open door policy, access to their personal cell phone numbers, scheduled check-ins, etc.).

In a healthy work environment, there’s a seat for everyone at the table, there is no special treatment, and everyone has the same chances to succeed.

This also ties in with psychological safety; employees want to feel like they can speak up and speak out with ideas, questions, and concerns without feeling like they will be punished, criticized, or ridiculed

A further example of organizational backing is continuing education. Skilled trades like locksmithing are currently gaining traction with Gen Z, and one of the biggest draws is that these positions usually only require a certification for employment, allowing people to enter the workforce sooner and without student loan debt.

Having interested individuals and existing security technicians do ridealongs with coworkers, in order to get a glimpse into other services focused on at the company, can help break up any potential monotony and spark a new interest in some, allowing them to expand or switch up their offerings (from, say, a locksmith to a safe tech). Over time, a person can work their way up from a storefront to a road tech and maybe even on to a manager, gaining insight from their coworkers all the while. The team at Cothron’s Security Professionals has over 500 years of lock experience, meaning new hires are learning from the best.

In a healthy work environment, there’s a seat for everyone at the table, there is no special treatment, and everyone has the same chances to succeed. Hopefully, the environment is a fun, supportive, inviting one, too… full of fairness, kindness, teamwork, and a sense of community.

Of course, there are also motivators brands can utilize, as ways to attract, reward, and support employees. Cothron’s, for example, offers onboarding such as on-the-job training and access to company equipment and benefits like competitive pay, insurance, and paid vacation time.

There are strategies individuals can apply to their lives, as well, in order to combat emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. Learning personal boundaries and coping mechanisms, turning to therapy and/or medication, practicing mindfulness, and asking for help are all effective stress management techniques.

This May, companies and associations will be launching campaigns and sharing social media posts about Mental Health Month, but how many of them will turn thought into action?

We urge the security industry (and beyond) to learn more about mental health, to check in (on yourself and others), and to analyze what can be done differently (and better) at your place of work.