Each year, during the first week of October, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and participants across the country raise awareness of mental illness, fight discrimination and provide support through Mental Illness Awareness Week. As our loyal Talking Benefits podcast listeners know, we’ve been discussing mental well-being throughout the life of this podcast and the latest episode is no exception.

Traditionally, the term caregiving makes us think of providing care for elderly parents or small children, but more recently we recognize that caregiving goes beyond those categories to include school-age children who have been studying virtually, extended family, neighbors and even colleagues who may be struggling. Dr. Brower explains how the pandemic has impacted caregiving, especially for those who have been disproportionately affected (i.e., women).

We discussed caregiving and the impact that it can have on our own lives and the lives of our colleagues and employees. I had the chance to chat with Dr. Tracy Brower (and had to hold back from fangirling the entire time because she is phenomenal!). Dr. Brower is a sociologist studying work-life fulfillment and happiness. She is a principal with Steelcase’s Applied Research + Consulting group and holds a Ph.D. in sociology and a master’s degree in management in organizational culture.

We also talked about how caregivers can better nourish their own physical, mental and social well-being as well as the workplace positives that can come from caregiving (and there are so many!). Dr. Brower offered great tips for employers on how to build an equitable caregiving policy, support workers who are caregivers and encourage leaders to step up and show their support.

Highly recommend giving this episode a listen—You’ve likely been a caregiver or are close to someone who has. I know I had some “a-ha!” moments during this interview, and I hope you will too.

Don’t miss a single episode! 

Subscribe to Talking Benefits Stitcher
Subscribe to Talking Benefits iTunes

Subscribe to Talking Benefits on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts for automatic updates as new episodes are released, or watch for new episodes on the International Foundation website.

We love to hear from Talking Benefits listeners!

Take our short listener survey so we can hear what you think about the podcast and what you’d like us to cover in future episodes. You’ll be entered for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card just for filling out the survey.

Anne Patterson
Marketing Communications Manager

Anne Patterson

Recommended Posts

Implementing a Practical Financial Wellness Program

Anne Newhouse, CEBS
 

The global workforce is rapidly changing due to a complex combination of trends, including an aging population, an increased reliance on technology, changes in customer and individual preferences, and flexible work opportunities, to name just a few. These global changes are also […]

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Canadian Employees Continue to Struggle as Employers Focus on Education and Prevention

Rebecca Plier
 

New Survey Data Reveals Increased Mental Health Challenges and Stress Levels As more employees grapple with mental well-being, organizations are challenged with implementing new solutions to support mental health in the workplace. Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits: 2024 Survey Results, […]