Research with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, released
during the Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health
Awareness Month, shows disparities in workers’ connectedness and
sense of belonging
New research by The Hartford and the National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) found Black U.S. workers face greater barriers to
mental health support in the workplace compared with white,
Hispanic/Latino, and Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) U.S.
workers.
Black U.S. workers were more likely to rate their mental health
as “fair/poor” and were less likely to say their company had
empathetic leadership and an open, inclusive work environment that
encourages a mental health dialogue. Also, Black American workers
were more likely to say they encounter difficulty in discussing
mental health in the workplace due to their race/ethnicity,
cultural background, and gender identity. Moreover, Black workers
were more likely than white workers to say they have experienced
exclusion, hostility, a culture of inequity, microaggressions, and
discrimination at their job that affected their mental health. In
contrast, AAPI workers were more likely to report “excellent/very
good” mental health, with open inclusive workplaces with empathetic
leaders, supportive co-workers, and flexible schedules.
“All Americans deserve safe, supportive and mentally healthy
work environments,” said The Hartford’s Chairman and CEO
Christopher Swift. “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 that
companies continue to break down stigma and prioritize diversity,
equity and inclusion. Together, we can make a difference and
improve the lives of millions of U.S. employees and their
families.”
For the second consecutive year, the workers’ compensation and
employee benefits provider and the nation's largest grassroots
mental health organization have announced their research during the
Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness
Month. Their shared goal is to boost mental health awareness and
use of resources that support worker wellness.
“This July and beyond, we are honoring Bebe Moore Campbell’s
legacy by joining forces with companies, like The Hartford, to
break down barriers, emphasize our shared humanity, and promote
mental wellness in the workplace,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison
Jr. “It is crucial to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental
health and ensure that every individual, regardless of race,
culture or identity, has access to the support and resources they
need to thrive.”
While U.S. companies showed improvements in creating a mentally
supportive workplace year over year, white and AAPI workers were
more likely to report favorable workplace experiences, compared
with Black and Hispanic/Latino workers.
White
AAPI
Hispanic/Latino
Black
2023
2022
2023
2022
2023
2022
2023
2022
I am/would be comfortable talking
to my co-workers about my mental health
43%
48%
46%
35%
32%
36%
36%
29%
My company’s leadership, including
managers/supervisors, are empathetic and take a genuine
interest in employees’ lives
64%
57%
61%
44%
47%
46%
38%
40%
My company provides employees with
flexibility in work schedules to get mental health help
54%
48%
60%
40%
41%
39%
43%
33%
My company has an open and
inclusive work environment that encourages a dialogue about
mental health
50%
43%
55%
42%
44%
36%
41%
33%
Survey findings also showed various aspects of identity can
affect mental health at work, such as age, race, gender, and job.
That intersectionality was also illustrated in verbatim quotes
about barriers to speaking out about mental health at their
company:
- “My race, sexuality, age and almost every aspect of my identity
makes it hard to be my authentic self in the workplace.”
- “I am a racial minority and a female in a male-dominated
workplace.”
- “I’m a gay man working in a retail environment that is not
typically supportive of different people.”
Connections and Belonging
In new survey questions, white working Americans were more
likely to report a strong personal connection with co-workers, a
sense of belonging at work, and alignment with company values than
Black and Hispanic/Latino workers.
White
AAPI
Hispanic/Latino
Black
I feel comfortable being my true self at
work
72%
67%
55%
67%
I have a sense of belonging at my work
71%
63%
55%
49%
My values align with my company’s
values
62%
57%
50%
42%
I have strong personal connections with my
coworkers
61%
56%
40%
47%
Employer Actions
A majority of U.S. workers (61%) said they want to work for a
company that prioritizes its employees’ mental health. The survey
data revealed actions that employers could take to break down
stigma and foster inclusion:
- Enlist senior leaders to lead company initiatives to dispel
stigma and normalize talking about mental health. At The Hartford,
Swift has spoken publicly, without judgment, about mental health,
addiction, and other wellness topics.
- Provide company-wide mental health education so that all
employees can provide peer-to-peer support and know where to turn
for help. The Hartford provides training to managers on mental
health fundamentals and a mental health ally badge program for all
employees to identify themselves as a source for support.
- Create or sustain employee resource groups (ERG) that are safe,
accepting spaces. The Hartford has nine ERGs, many of which have
held events aimed at supporting better mental health.
Survey Methodology
In 2023, NORC fielded a general population omnibus survey for
The Hartford from April 13-17 and April 28 to May 1, which included
an ethnicity oversample and LGBTQ+ oversample for a total sample
size of 2,360. Data was filtered to include only those who are
employed (total n=1,456 working adults). The margin of error is +/-
3.75% at a 95% confidence level.
About The Hartford
The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance,
group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of
expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service
excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More
information on the company and its financial performance is
available at https://www.thehartford.com.
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG)
operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The
Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. For
additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.
HIG-C
Some of the statements in this release may
be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that
these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors
should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ. These important risks and
uncertainties include those discussed in our 2022 Annual Report on
Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, and the
other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of
the date issued.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230720345467/en/
Media Contact: Kelly Carter
Kelly.carter@thehartford.com
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