A is for Assess: Why the First Step to Wellbeing at Work Isn’t Another Program. It’s a Pause

Why Mental Health at Work Matters More Than Ever

We spend nearly 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. That’s one-third of our lives. If we’re not checking in on how people are feeling during those hours, we’re not just missing productivity… we’re missing people.

Insights from the 2025 WebMD Health Services Workplace & Employee Survey

The February 2025 WebMD Health Services Workplace & Employee Survey gave us a peek behind the curtain. Over 4,000 U.S. employees shared their experiences, and the message was clear: mental health at work isn’t a trend, it’s a truth. And it’s not a one-and-done conversation, it’s constantly evolving.

Here’s where things get real…

The Double-Edged Sword of Remote and Hybrid Work

Remote and hybrid work can be wonderful for mental health. The flexibility, autonomy, and breathing room? Life-changing for many.

But there’s a flip side we don’t talk about enough. According to a 2025 TravelPerk study, compared to just 16% of those onsite. Even hybrid workers aren’t immune, with 21% experiencing loneliness. That means one in four of your remote team members may be silently struggling with disconnection, even while they’re working from their “ideal” setup.

Why Connection Still Matters in Flexible Work

It’s not the flexibility that’s the problem. It’s that we’ve quietly retired so many of the connection-focused initiatives that once helped people feel seen. Those COVID-era check-ins, wellness nudges, moments of joy. When we pulled back those efforts without replacing them, people felt the shift.

We gave people flexibility but forgot to keep the connection.

Disengagement: The Elephant in the Zoom Room

More than 60% of employees are emotionally disengaged. And while the survey notes this isn’t a direct cause of mental health issues, the link is undeniable. The less engaged we are, the more isolated we feel. And the more isolated we feel, the harder it becomes to access the energy, confidence, and belief needed to show up fully at work or anywhere else.

And please, let’s ditch the outdated advice to “just separate work and life.” For most of us, those lines blurred long ago. Telling someone to compartmentalize stress doesn’t work when the stress travels with them.

Enter the “A” in the A.W.E.S.O.M.E.® Framework

At Activate the Awesome®, we know real change starts by looking inward. That’s why the first step in our A.W.E.S.O.M.E.® framework is Assess.

How can we optimize potential or energize the future if we haven’t taken the time to understand what’s happening right now?

What Assess Looks Like in Practice

• Ask more meaningful questions during team check-ins
• Take a fresh look at your programs and benefits. Are they seen, valued, or forgotten?
• Recognize that those aged 30–44 are balancing caregiving, parenting, and personal health challenges, understanding that stress loads are different at every life stage
• Use tools like Positive Impact Mapping® to discover the invisible: influence dynamics, relational energy, and culture clues you won’t find in a spreadsheet

From Doing More to Noticing More

What if the best solution isn’t more doing, but deeper noticing?

You don’t need to launch a brand-new initiative. You just need to tune in. The data’s already telling us where to begin.

A Call to Pause and Reconnect

So, what will you assess today?

I challenge you to first take a pause.

Because when we pause long enough to see what’s really going on, we find that the awesome hasn’t gone; it’s still there. It just needs space to be recognized.