If you've worked in the cannabis industry for more than a couple of years, then you probably have had one of those jobs. You know what I'm talking about; low pay, no work/life balance, no sense of actual internal structure. These kinds of jobs put even the best employee on the fast track for burnout.
So let's talk about mental health in the cannabis industry.
At the time of this writing, most US states have some form of legal cannabis. This budding industry has a lot of potential...and many kinks to work out. While many jobs within the industry are fulfilling and great, some give the industry a bad image.
According to Work Design Magazine, "Mental health has never been more relevant, and the better prepared companies are to support the needs of their workforce, the more productive their employees will be at crunch time."
Zippia confirms this statement with some hard-to-swallow statistics. According to their March 2023 findings, 89% of workers have experienced burnout within the past year, with 70% saying they feel their employers aren't doing enough to prevent and alleviate burnout.
Now let's talk about the elephant in the room; how to promote mental health in the cannabis workspace.
Mental health is more than just a marketing gimmick. The truth is that mental health is lacking in practice within some brands that claim to support it. The result is a lack of employee retention and a negative impact on the brand's image.
So how can we promote mental health in the cannabis workspace?
Pay a livable wage
Offer benefits and PTO
Create a clear chain of command and adhere to it.
Create clear-cut standards of practice.
Promote based on talent and leadership skills
These may sound like simple things, but could be the cause of high-value employees leaving the company or the industry altogether.
Avoiding topics like mental health in the workplace only allows the problem to fester. For the cannabis industry to continue to grow, making mental health a priority will go a long way toward retaining valuable employees and building a solid band.