If 20% of Americans currently live with mental illness as the National Institute of Mental Health reports, and 60% of American adults are working as the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us, then managing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace presents a daunting challenge. We have emerged from a lengthy pandemic to a permanently altered workplace that has caused many of us to reconsider how we work, where we work – and frankly, what we want out of work.

That transformation comes against the backdrop of an increasingly divided and discordant society that prizes viral moments over meaningful human interaction. If most of us spend a good part of our lives in the workplace, then it seems logical that we might look to the workplace for meaningful connections with others. Describing work as providing meaningful human connection may seem inapt. But to many, one’s career and work can (and should) provide deep satisfaction – even joy for those lucky enough to find professional fulfillment. So there is something to be said for a work-as-therapy paradigm, but only if work effectively fulfills important human needs.

Now if the aim of talk therapy is to help someone identify and address important behaviors for purposes of improving their lives, then why shouldn’t a performance evaluation achieve the same benefits in the workplace? An effective performance evaluation should provide candid feedback to employees about what they are doing well and how they can do better.

But that discussion should also focus on what motivates the employee. Most human resources professionals are not licensed counselors in the therapeutic arena (though some are, both by professional training or by default) but as the first line of people management, it seems a worthy goal is to help employees identify what drives them and why, and how their career or jobs can help meet those needs and aspirations. In other words, rather than approaching a performance evaluation from a negative perspective, it is far healthier to approach a review from a developmental standpoint. That frame of reference serves both the needs of the business (retention, productivity, improved performance) as well as promoting the employee's mental health and wellbeing, whether or not the employee is one of many who suffer from these challenges.

These suggestions may seem fundamental. But they once again highlight the importance of seeing people in the workplace not just as workers, but as people. And that approach should have the added benefit of creating a culture of respect, which brings a priceless value to all workplaces.