I have been fortunate to meet thoughtful journalists who share a passion for improving work, and I have loved discussing how my research helps move the needle forward in that mission. Please see below for details about select articles and podcasts that have featured my insights, as well as links to those resources where available. If you are a journalist interested in chatting - particularly about work and mental health challenges - please reach out at erosadosolomon (at) babson (dot) edu.
Media about mental health and mental illness
adjusting jobs to protect mental health is both easier and harder than you might think (article)
In this article, my colleagues and I share ways that organizations can positively impact their employees’ mental health based on evidence from a recent review of over 500 studies. Consistent with the mission of The Conversation to connect scholars with practitioner audiences, versions of this article were re-published by outlets such as Fortune, World Economic Forum, New Pittsburgh Courier, Medical Xpress, and GovExec.
the academic minute: mental health and work (podcast)
In this brief podcast episode, I share the highlights of my research on the way work influences employees’ mental health challenges. I particularly emphasize the systematic nature of work’s influence on employees’ mental health, noting that true change requires systematic efforts from organizations to improve employees’ mental health.
workplace mental health: it’s ok not to be ok (podcast)
In this episode of the ILO’s The Future of Work podcast, I was interviewed by Rosalind Yarde about how workplaces can support employees’ mental health. We had a wide-ranging conversation, including the need for a strategic, integrated approach to supporting mental health. The podcast ends with an important note of optimism: not only can organizations learn to stop harming their employees’ mental health, they can actually be part of a solution to help people thrive.
Gen Z Expects Mental Wellness Support from Employers (article)
I was interviewed by Kathy Gurchiek for this article in SHRM’s HR News about how younger employees expect their employers to actively support mental health. In my remarks, I highlight the importance of re-thinking job design to ensure jobs promote good mental health, and I discuss the potential role of HR and individual managers in creating mentally healthy workplaces.
45: Addressing Mental health in the workplace (podcast)
In this episode of the Compassionate Leaders Circle podcast, I was interviewed alongside Amy Gilliland, president of General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). In this extended conversation with Laurel Donnellan, Amy and I discuss various ways that organizations can support their employees’ mental health, including GDIT’s new campaign titled, “How are you, really?” that aims to reduce mental health stigma in the workplace.
how are you, really? 5 Steps To Address Mental Health At Work (article)
In this article in Forbes, Laurel Donnellan synthesizes her podcast interview with me and Amy Gilliland (summarized above), and shares 5 key steps that organizations can take to support their employees’ mental health.
How workplaces can be more proactive about supporting mental health (article)
In this interview with Cari Romm Nazeer of Charter Works, my coauthor Jaclyn Koopmann and I discuss the implications of our research on mental health and work for HR managers. We stress that it’s important for employers to take proactive steps to create mentally healthy workplaces, and we dispel the myth that employees must disclose a mental health challenge before organizations can offer support. Highlights of our interview were featured in the Charter Briefing Newsletter on July 16, 2023.
Media about relationships and communication
are you a giver or a taker? There are two types of talkers, researcher suggests (article)
I was interviewed by Monica Torres in this article in HuffPost about the theory that there are two types of communicators in organizations: “givers” and “takers.” My comments included the contextualization of this theory, noting how it might differ based on an individual’s cultural background.
Office small talk can help leaders connect with employees, but there’s a downside (article)
I was interviewed by Paige McGlauflin of Fortune for this article about the benefits and drawbacks of small talk at work. I explained that while small talk is important for creating connections between employees, it can also unintentionally exclude some people, especially those who are dissimilar from the majority of employees. Together with my colleague Jessica Methot, we also discuss challenges to enacting successful small talk at work, ranging from open office spaces to the rise of Zoom meetings, and suggest ways that organizations might mitigate some of these challenges.