How companies can prioritize the mental health of their employees and take steps to address chronic burnout

Unlike on the popular TV series Severance, most people don’t get to disconnect from what’s happening in the rest of their lives when they arrive at work each day. While employees can take steps to manage their stress and anxiety, it’s also imperative that employers have their backs—and foster a work environment that prioritizes mental health. The constant barrage of unsettling news headlines, economic uncertainty, and concerns about job security create a heavy cognitive load for many American workers that’s only made worse by an “always-on” hustle culture, which also causes burnout. To address this systemic exhaustion, the best leaders are those who practice sincere vulnerability and show compassion for their stressed-out workforces, according to experts on workplace mental health. “If you care about your bottom line and you care about your employees, you should be making mental health a priority,” Bennett Porter, chief of staff for Calm, said during a discussion at the Fast Company Gr