Compassion Over Metrics: The Real Corporate Revolution

Recently, I came across an article that left me heartbroken and deeply reflective. It was about a young EY employee named Anna, whose tragic passing has become a wake-up call for both the company and the broader business community. Anna’s mother wrote an open letter to EY’s chairman, urging the company to reexamine how it treats its people, especially in high-pressure environments like the one Anna faced daily. Her message was clear: it’s not enough to provide short-term relief or offer surface-level support when employees are struggling. True change requires a fundamental shift in how we view and treat the people who make up our organisations.

Anna’s story is not just a corporate tragedy—it’s a deeply human one. It’s a sobering reminder that behind every email, every project deadline, and every performance metric, there are real people with real struggles. And when these struggles are ignored or brushed aside, the consequences can be devastating. This isn’t just about one company; it’s about a mindset that many workplaces, unfortunately, still operate under.

The question we should all be asking ourselves now is: What can we do differently to ensure that no one else has to suffer in silence?

We often hear phrases like “business is business” or “not everyone is running a charity,” as if to suggest that being compassionate and understanding somehow undermines the goals of an organisation. But that mindset misses the point. Being humane doesn’t mean compromising on business goals—it means ensuring that those goals are met with the well-being of your people in mind.

The reality is, mental health struggles are not a one-day or a one-week problem. They don’t just disappear after a couple of days off, or after someone takes a short mental health break. True mental health issues are deep-rooted, and they require more than quick fixes. This is where many organisations fall short. They believe that offering a few days of leave is enough to "solve" the issue. But that’s not action—that’s avoidance.

To truly address mental health in the workplace, we need to look at the culture we’re creating. Are we fostering environments where employees feel safe to express their struggles? Or are we perpetuating a culture where everyone feels they need to keep up appearances, even when they’re at their breaking point?

Real change doesn’t come from token gestures—it comes from addressing the culture at its core. And culture, as we know, starts with leadership. But what I’ve come to believe is that you don’t need to be at the top of an organisation to start making a difference. You can begin with your own team.

If you can change the culture within your immediate circle, that change can ripple outward and eventually influence the broader organisation. One compassionate leader can create a ripple effect that touches everyone around them. But how do we do this?

Taking action means rethinking what support looks like. It means going beyond standard HR policies and thinking deeply about how we create an environment where people feel genuinely supported. Here are a few tangible steps that can help create that change:

Create Spaces for Real Conversations | Let’s be honest—how many of us have had real, meaningful conversations about mental health with our teams? Creating spaces where employees can openly talk about their struggles, without fear of judgment, is essential. This isn’t just about ticking a box; it’s about creating a culture of openness and vulnerability.

Lead with Empathy, Not Just Metrics | Managers need to be trained to recognise signs of burnout, depression, or anxiety, and—more importantly—how to respond with empathy, not just solutions. Empathy doesn’t mean lowering standards; it means understanding the human behind the performance.

Tailor Support to Individual Needs | Every person is different. While one person may need time off to recharge, another might benefit more from a lighter workload or flexible hours. Tailoring support to individual needs is key to fostering a healthy work environment.

Invest in Mental Health Resources | If you want to show your employees that their well-being truly matters, invest in it. Offering access to mental health professionals or support programs is a clear signal that the company values them as more than just cogs in the machine.

Encourage Preventive Measures, Not Just Crisis Response | Instead of waiting for someone to reach their breaking point, companies should focus on fostering everyday mental well-being. This means regular check-ins, integrating stress management techniques into daily routines, and promoting a culture where mental wellness is prioritised continuously—not just in moments of crisis. It also means not shaming people for taking mental health days when they truly need them, ensuring that employees feel supported in caring for their mental health without fear of judgment.

What often gets lost in the conversation about mental health at work is that taking action is not about fixing people—it’s about creating environments where they don’t need fixing. It’s about building a workplace culture that supports everyone, no matter where they are in their mental health journey.

We’ve all seen the consequences of ignoring mental health, and Anna’s story is, tragically, just one of many. But if there’s anything we can take from this, it’s that we have the power to make a change. It starts with being humane. It starts with realising that business success and employee well-being are not mutually exclusive—they are deeply interconnected.

In the end, businesses are made up of people, and those people are more than just their output. They are individuals with lives, struggles, hopes, and fears. And it’s our responsibility to ensure that they are supported, not just when they’re at their best, but especially when they’re at their worst.

’Till next time…