This podcast is an interview with the CEO of a non-profit healthcare provider in the US. Probably a little way off the beaten track for this blog but I think it has some interesting relevant points for workplace health.
The whole podcast is fascinating and inspirational but it is their approach to mental health that is really interesting. I am paraphrasing him with the following:
"We are involved in re-attaching the head to the body. Mental health has always been treated as something separate from physical health. Patients were sent through a separate door for treatment. We now know from our data (12.5 million customers) that around 50-60% of Americans suffer from some form of mental health problem depending on what you include as mental health "
Listening to this, it strikes me that employers have been involved in detaching the head from the body. Most skilled office workers are there for their brains. Their body has always been something that you bring along to work but isn't really of much interest to the employer.
The only problem is that the body is connected to the head and without physical well-being you have pretty much no chance of maintaining the mental well-being that is required to do your job efficiently ?
Isn't it time for employers to reconnect the body to the head for their staff ?
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