Mental Health and the Future of Work: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities for the Next Generation of the Workforce with CAMH and Wavemakers
In honour of Mental Illness Awareness Week 2022, Wavemakers had the privilege of hosting a conversation with student alumni, mentor alumni, post secondary institution partners, and employer partners on how to create work environments that honour, respect, and support mental wellness.
Our Mental Health and the Future of Work panel included special guest Dr. Donna Ferguson, Centre of Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) board-certified clinical psychologist (ABPP), Carl Langdon, Lakehead University Computer Science student and Wavemakers alumnus, and was moderated by our very own Wavemakers co-founder, Krista Pawley.
As we prepare the next generation of employees, how do we prioritize mental wellness while also setting and achieving career goals? What opportunities do we have to build virtual spaces that are inclusive, and empower people to bring their whole selves to a work or learning space?
Let’s dive in.
Boundaries: set them early, and with intention.
Starting a new career is exciting. So much, so, that you’ll want to say ‘yes’ to every opportunity that comes your way. Sometimes, this causes eager new employees to perform to their own detriment. How can we avoid this?
“It really starts by setting the precedents from the beginning,” says Dr. Ferguson.
This means as early as the interview or negotiation period. Work patterns are formed early, and can be difficult to correct retrospectively. That said, it’s important to discuss not only the type of work you’ll be producing, but also what your standard hours look like. Will there be overtime? Tight deadlines? Predetermined windows of time during which you’ll need to produce the bulk of your work?
Having these conversations early, setting intentional boundaries – and sticking to them – will benefit both the employee and the employer. Building expectations that respect your quality of life, in turn, will directly affect your ability to excel in your new role.
‘Quiet quitting’ is a topic that worked its way into our discussions on work life balance, and it’s been dissected from many angles in the media. In some instances, it’s perceived as laziness, and in others, as a new generation of employees taking their power back. The truth is, it remains subjective – and Dr. Ferguson agrees.
“It depends on the individual, the situation, the organization,” says Dr. Ferguson. “I’m all about setting healthy boundaries – if it’s about setting healthy boundaries, I think it’s a good thing — I think it can actually be to your benefit.”
Can I really do this? How to respond to that voice in your head that’s creating self-doubt
Imposter syndrome is no stranger to many of us. The good news? It’s normal. Sometimes, it can even be healthy.
Carl can relate, and spoke on his own experience as a mature student arriving on an in-person university campus. In moments where self doubt creeps in, he reminds himself that these thoughts are not facts.
His approach? Leaning into self compassion, kindness, and perspective.
“I would look toward my own expectations – comparing myself to my own perspective of myself – and then, to the perspective of the people who love and support me,” says Carl.
Carl shared that in these moments, exploring perspectives outside of his own self-doubt helped to dissipate these types of thoughts.
Dr. Ferguson describes these patterns of self doubt as ‘unhelpful thoughts.’
“We have unhelpful thoughts that creep into our minds - it can be anything from ‘no I’m not good enough’ to ‘I can’t do this’ to a number of things that, sometimes, we get from childhood, or growing up – what we call core beliefs. I think one of the ways that we help to combat this is much like Carl said – really being kind to ourselves, by being gentle, being empathic. I also think it’s helpful to have actual tools that we might use as well. One of them might be cognitive restructuring.”
Dr. Ferguson introduces the concept of cognitive restructuring to the audience as the practice of balancing unhelpful thoughts by looking at evidence for and against them. This could mean looking at how other people see you, or at concrete examples of things you’ve done well in the past, rather than focusing on the negative.
“It really isn’t necessarily about trying to turn the negative into a positive – it really is more about how you balance your thoughts – and look at evidence for and against those thoughts that can be unhelpful for us,” says Dr. Ferguson.
At the end of day, these feelings are natural – especially when you’re embarking on a new career path. In moments of transition or adjustment, it’s OK to feel uncertain – and it’s OK to not feel completely confident in approaching something new. What’s important is that we reflect on the evidence, that we remind ourselves of our capabilities, and that we use this as momentum to find our footing in a new role.
Authenticity, vulnerability, and opening up about burnout
In order to achieve true authenticity, we need to feel supported and empowered to seek help.
“It’s important for us, first, to be able to have the conversation. Often, we shy away from having any conversations about burnout – and I think we need to open up the conversation – and normalize it,” says Dr. Ferguson.
When asked what the one single thing is that she’d like to see change in the workplace, Dr. Ferguson responds with the elimination of stigma.
“I would love – and I’ve been working on this for years – I would love to see stigma eradicated from the work environment – I really would, ” says Dr. Furgeson.
Stigma surrounding seeking help is often where Dr. Ferguson sees workers isolating themselves, especially when their workload becomes greater. Being able to reach out for help and seek connection in times of difficulty is integral. In order to achieve this, the door for help needs to be open – and walking through that door needs to be encouraged.
Carl shares his own vision of what a healthy workforce looks like. “We all agree that mental health is a priority – it starts with what we expect from our society, and what we expect from corporations,” he says. This would include a world in which [especially] large corporations devote funds and legislation to accessible mental health support for employees.
A call to action for the leaders of the workforce
In order for true change to take place, it needs to start from the top down – and it needs to be genuine.
“When people can see people in leadership who are vulnerable as well – just like they are – I think that is a really good example, ” says Dr. Ferguson.
In a society where ‘showing no weakness’ has been the norm for so many years, there cannot be real change until our leaders demonstrate true empathy and vulnerability to their teams.
It starts with conversations – just like the ones we had in campus for Mental Health and the Future of Work.
How does the Wavemakers program embody authenticity in a work space?
After two years of remote work, being on an in-person campus can be overwhelming at times for Carl. He shares that having access to a virtual reality environment at a time where in-person socialization can feel daunting really helped him make and maintain connections with his peers.
“I genuinely feel like [Wavemakers] is a very controlled environment – it’s something that is not daunting in the same sense [as being in-person]. There’s not the same capacity for misinterpretation of a lot of things,” says Carl. “For a lot of individuals, the type of straightforward environment this provides can really be an outlet that isn’t available otherwise – being able to interact with people in a virtual environment and maintain that connection can be huge.”
The Wavemakers campus is a space that empowers students to bring their whole selves – both in avatar form, but also as their true self behind that avatar.
“By virtue of having that – and feeling fulfilled – I feel more comfortable going out and not feeling like I need to go out into my environment seeking social validation, or social experiences. It’s helped me bring my authentic self,” says Carl.
At Wavemakers, inclusion and access are the precedents of the programming we deliver. Students are empowered to undergo our eight-session program that focuses on future-proof skills.
They are set up with real tools that help them understand, hone, and implement these sought after skills employers are seeking.
They leave the program able to reflect, and articulate their experiences and capabilities as they enter a future of work.
At a time where we are initiating change for a workplace where mental wellness is acknowledged, nurtured, and honoured, Wavemakers is building a [virtual] path – from scratch – that will do exactly this.
Are you a post-secondary student looking to join a first-of-its kind learning environment rooted in inclusivity and accessibility? Learn more here.
Are you a post-secondary institution representative, or industry professional looking to share this opportunity to students, or directly shape the next generation of workplace leaders through partnership? Reach out here.
Would you like to explore practical tools to become more informed on mental health and well-being? Check out CAMH’s Youth and Mental Health Tutorial, as well as these Game Changers Resources co-created with CAMH’s clinical education teams and youth ambassadors.
About Wavemakers
The Wavemakers program is a first-of-its-kind work-integrated learning program that leverages cutting-edge, accessible virtual reality technology and forward-thinking speakers. Wavemakers provides post-secondary students from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives with the opportunity to come together, develop and cultivate future-proof skills, and build long-lasting connections with industry leaders, to help their transition into the workplace. It’s about providing meaningful opportunities to a diverse community of future leaders who can tackle today’s big challenges with even bigger and bolder ideas that will carry us into a more positive and inclusive tomorrow.