Only 41 per cent of Black employees in the U.S. believe their company has an open and inclusive environment that encourages dialogue about mental health, compared to 50 per cent of white employees, according to a new survey by the Hartford and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The survey, which polled more than 2,300 U.S. employees, found Black workers were more likely than white workers to rate their mental health as fair/poor and to say they’ve experienced exclusion, hostility, microaggressions and discrimination at their job that affected their mental health.
Fewer than half (49 per cent) of Black employees reported feeling a sense of belonging at work, compared to white (71 per cent), Asian American Pacific Islander (63 per cent) or Hispanic (55 per cent) employees.
Read: Survey finds racialized employees are less comfortable discussing mental health at work
Across all respondents, 61 per cent said they want to work for a company that prioritizes its employees’ mental health. Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of white workers said their values align with their company’s values, compared to 57 per cent of AAPI, 50 per cent of Hispanic and 42 per cent of Black employees.
In addition, the survey found 60 per cent of AAPI respondents said their company provides flexibility in work schedules to get mental-health help, followed by white (54 per cent), Black (43 per cent) and Hispanic (41 per cent) respondents.
Nearly half (46 per cent) of AAPI employees said they’d be comfortable talking to co-workers about their mental health, followed by white (43 per cent), Black (36 per cent) and Hispanic (32 per cent) employees.
“All Americans deserve safe, supportive and mentally healthy work environments,” said Christopher Swift, chairman and chief executive officer of the Hartford, in a press release. “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 for companies to continue to break down stigma and prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Read: Connecting DEI initiatives to employees’ mental well-being