{"id":56581,"date":"2022-05-26T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=56581"},"modified":"2022-05-26T11:31:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T18:31:54","slug":"salesforce-employee-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/salesforce-employee-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Salesforce’s Chief People Officer Takes Mental Health So Seriously"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mental health is something I\u2019ve cared deeply about for a long time. During Mental Health Awareness Month, in particular, I reflect on the ways mental health has touched my own life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several members of my family have suffered with mental illness, most notably, my mother, who was severely depressed for most of her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mom was a great mom, but she was very sick. It\u2019s heartbreaking to watch someone you love struggle with their mental health \u2014 it can make you feel powerless, frustrated, and alone. As the oldest child of six, I responded to my mother\u2019s illness by stepping in, and at times, taking charge. These experiences shaped me profoundly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mental illness is on the rise \u2014 and companies must take note<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The experience of living with mental illness also influenced me professionally. It shaped the kind of leader I want to be \u2014 one who leads with empathy and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been heartened to see the discussion around mental health shift so dramatically over the past few years. It went from a relatively taboo topic to one that no employer can ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States, mental illness is something one in five adults are experiencing \u2014 that\u2019s 47 million Americans<\/a>. And it\u2019s safe to say that every person globally has been impacted in one way or another by the trauma that comes with living through a global pandemic; not to mention the recent horrific tragedies in Texas and New York, racially-motivated violence, war, and climate change, among many other important issues of our time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are a company\u2019s greatest asset \u2014 without our people, we have nothing.<\/p>Brent hyder, president & Chief People Officer<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve always believed that employers have a responsibility to make sure employees are happy and healthy. As Chief People Officer at Salesforce, I\u2019m in a unique position to impact employees\u2019 individual experiences every day. That\u2019s powerful. But this is not just an altruistic belief \u2014 happy and healthy employees bring their best selves to work everyday, which has real implications for the business<\/a>. People are a company\u2019s greatest asset \u2014 without our people, we have nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Salesforce approaches mental health in the workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Within our own workforce, employees are reporting mental health challenges more than ever before, especially around the start of the pandemic. It\u2019s something we take very seriously, and our team has rolled out a five-pronged support system to help employees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n