The US Surgeon General Wants Your Boss to Be More Supportive

‘Everyone is better off’ when workplaces invest in their employees

Photographer: Runstudio/Moment/Getty Images
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wants managers to take a good, hard look at what they could do to improve mental health and well-being in the workplace.

A report released this week zeroes in on how toxic workplaces can damage workers’ health, especially in environments that are “disrespectful, non-inclusive, unethical, cutthroat and abusive,” as well as those where harassment and discrimination are tolerated. These issues far predate the Covid-19 pandemic, but the past 2-1/2 years put them into stark relief. As workers weigh the potential benefits of “quiet quitting” and any cons of returning to the office, it’s as good a time as any for employers to consider improving their culture.