5 Mental Health Questions for Your Job Interview
The three top factors we often use to rank the quality of a job are financial compensation, job security, and the prestige of the company.
But how about the mental health culture of the employer?
According to the Institute of Stress, work stress is ranked the third cause of stress in our population! And according to a series of on-the-job happiness surveys consulted in this Forbes article, the following are the top ten factors for job satisfaction:
Appreciation for your work
Good relationships with colleagues
Good work-life balance
Good relationships with superiors
Company's financial stability
Learning and career development
Job security
Attractive fixed salary
Interesting job content
Company values
ONLY THREE out of the ten reference finances and security and SEVEN are focused on relationships and the quality of the emotional-mental environment and company social culture!
Therefore, mental health CULTURE should be more important than financial CURRENCY when evaluating the quality of a job!
Below, are FIVE questions to help you explore a potential employer's views on mental health:
Name three things that the company has done to promote the well-being of employees.
Can you describe the work culture?
What recent changes took place or will take place to improve the work culture?
What is the leadership style of the direct supervisor?
Does the company participate in any social responsibility activities?
BONUS QUESTION: How does the employer support an employee who has experienced a sudden life transition? (You can add your own life transition experiences, such as illness, loss, or accidents.)
These questions are to encourage employers to no longer ignore how work impacts mental health.
Mental health conditions are rising at a rapid rate and it’s imperative that we carefully assess the environments in which we offer a huge portion of our time and expertise to determine if it’s a good “mental fit” for us.