Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
12-2021
Abstract
We aimed to produce novel, comprehensive tools to support The Global MINDS Collective’s mission of co-creating unique workplace infrastructures conducive to employee mental wellness. Our Systems Map uses a multifactorial and intersectional approach to analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed employees’ mental and psychosocial wellness. A systems thinking approach was used to connect ideas from literature and industry resources to expand on concepts such as workplace diversity, burnout, and current practices. The interconnected nature of the systems map allowed us to identify “leverage points,” which were topics with a high degree of connectivity that could be targeted for high-impact interventions. The leverage points informed our second deliverable, the Key Insights Brief, which was an in-depth evaluation of problems faced by workers during the pandemic.
The Key Insights Brief is a question-oriented review of current knowledge rather than a solution-prescriptive document, because each workplace is unique and cannot rely on generic interventions for sustainable mental wellness. We identified specific gaps in workplace support systems for issues such as parental burnout, vulnerability caused by intersectionality, and gender-based stigma. Global MINDS employees and clients can use this brief to consider new perspectives in mental health when tailoring workplace-specific interventions.
A limitation that we faced was the ongoing nature of the pandemic, which continues to cause shifts in workplace mental health and workers’ psychosocial needs. Because of this and the tailored nature of Global MINDS’ work with organizations, it is unrealistic to prescribe specific solutions to improve occupational mental health. We recommend using both deliverables to inform on underlying causes of workplace mental health issues. The systems map will be used by Global MINDS' employees and board members to approach client engagements with an intersectional understanding of current issues during COVID-19.
The Key Insights Brief will be available as a resource for employers in the Greater London Area to begin conversations and evaluations of their workers’ mental wellness during and post-pandemic.