Mental Health at Work Is Broken—Here's the Flexible Work Solution That Actually Works

42. The workplace mental health crisis is real—and current solutions aren't working. Here's what actually does.

It's the end of Mental Health Awareness Month—and if you're a working parent, you know the cruel irony. May is supposed to be about mental health awareness, but it's also the most mentally exhausting month of the year. Graduations. End-of-school chaos. Emotional rollercoastering that would make anyone question their sanity.

I'm living it right now. My daughter Iris graduates high school in two days, and between the "lasts" and the logistics, I'm feeling it all.

But here's what this overwhelming month perfectly captures: We're in a workplace mental health crisis, and what employers are offering isn't working.

In this episode, I'm having the conversation we need to be having about mental health at work—not the surface-level wellness app solutions, but the structural changes that actually support well-being.

Here's What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why 65% of employees report mental health challenges but only 25% find employer resources helpful
• The real reason burnout rates keep climbing (hint: it's not about individual resilience)
• How job sharing creates mental health infrastructure, not just another perk
• Why 87% of job sharers say it was the difference between staying and leaving their job
• The business case for reimagining work structures to support human well-being

This isn't just about being nice to employees—it's about building sustainable, high-performing teams in an era where talent retention is everything.

If you're a people leader watching your team burn out, an HR professional trying to move the needle on engagement, or an employee barely keeping your head above water—this episode is your roadmap to something better.

Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is admit the current system is broken and dare to imagine something different.

Links mentioned:

• Episode 41: A Wake-Up Call for Working Moms: What Two Job Sharers Did to Save Their Health—and Their Sanity
• Episode 30:My Coping Strategies: How Job Sharing Creates Stability During Uncertain Times
• 2025 State of Workforce Mental Health Report, Lyra
• McKinsey's Women in the Workplace Report, 2023
• Deloitte Workplace Burnout Survey, 2024
• 7 Things to Know about Workplace Mental Health
• The Job Share Project study key findings

Episode Website: workmuse.com/42
Transcript

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