When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools and workplaces across the world, it not only was a public health and economic crisis, but also a mental health challenge for millions.
Shaun Pichler, a professor of management at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics, is seeking to understand how organizations and employers can promote optimal mental health and wellbeing in future crisis situations.
Along with faculty from the University of Texas, Arlington and universities in the United Kingdom, Pichler is the co-author of a forthcoming study, “Adaptation in Work and Family Roles Link Support to Mental Health During a Pandemic.” The paper will appear in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.
How can an organization can support employee mental health during crises?
Our findings suggest that employee perceptions of organizational support are essential. This means that employees must feel that their employer truly cares about them and values their well-being.
This can be accomplished not only through formal policies and practices such as flexible work and employee assistance programs, but also culturally in terms of how supervisors treat employees and how employees treat each other.
Read more about this mental health study in an article on CSUF Business News.