Workplace

<p>The office can feel like a sad, soulless place whose purpose is to grind you down and challenge your will to live with the aggressive monotony.</p><figure class="image"><div class="image-container"><img alt="Astute, Schrute." data-attribution="Giphy" data-attribution-url="" height="272" src="//cdn.someecards.com/posts/giphy-k3hq94.gif" width="500" /></div> <figcaption>Astute, Schrute.</figcaption> <div class="image-attribution">Giphy</div></figure><div className="ad-splitter"></div><p>So, it&#39;s crucial to look after one&#39;s mental health&mdash;the brain being as vital an organ as the lungs and the legs or what have you&mdash;although people are still hesitant to talk about it.</p><p>When web developer <a href="https://twitter.com/madalynrose/status/880886024725024769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2F2017%2F07%2F11%2Fmental-health-day-email-from-boss%2F">Madalyn Parker </a>needed to take a Mental Health Day to recharge her batteries, she sent an honest email to her whole company. Her boss, Ben Congleton, sent an equally refreshing reply.</p><div class="oembedall-container sec-iframe sec-oembed-iframe"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When the CEO responds to your out of the office email about taking sick leave for mental health and reaffirms your decision. 💯 <a href="https://t.co/6BvJVCJJFq">pic.twitter.com/6BvJVCJJFq</a></p>&mdash; madalyn (@madalynrose) <a href="https://twitter.com/madalynrose/status/880886024725024769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div className="ad-splitter"></div><p>&quot;Hey Madalyn, I just wanted to personally thank you for sending emails like this,&quot; he wrote. &quot;Every time you do, I use it as a reminder of the importance of using sick days for mental health &mdash; I can&#39;t believe this is not standard practice at all organizations. You are example to us all, and help cut through the stigma so we can all bring our whole selves to work.&quot;</p><p>People on Twitter were impressed with the response.</p><div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I&#39;m gonna have to start job hunting soon and I&#39;m mentally ill &amp; have panic attacks. Thanks for giving me hope that I can find a job as I am.</p> &mdash; ollie? (@recarmdran) <a href="https://twitter.com/recarmdran/status/881603921764077569">July 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Are y&#39;all hiring</p> &mdash; Anthony Ly (@Funkopedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/Funkopedia/status/884551559236927488">July 10, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I love your bunny and that your CEO supports you &amp; understands. Its amazing. Hope your time of clarity helps you feel more like yourself!</p> &mdash; Monnie (@monnie) <a href="https://twitter.com/monnie/status/881383865935306752">July 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div className="ad-splitter"></div><div class="oembedall-container sec-iframe sec-oembed-iframe"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I work for <a href="https://twitter.com/olark?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@olark</a>. <br><br>We stick to our values (<a href="https://t.co/R4z2LGkW13">https://t.co/R4z2LGkW13</a>) and strive to make business human :)</p>&mdash; madalyn (@madalynrose) <a href="https://twitter.com/madalynrose/status/884613766423379971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div className="ad-splitter"></div><p>After the tweet went viral, CEO Ben Congleton elaborated on his valuing mental healthcare in a post on <em><a href="https://medium.com/@OlarkLiveChat/its-2017-and-mental-health-is-still-an-issue-in-the-workplace-61efbef092f">Medium</a></em>:</p><blockquote> <p>It&rsquo;s 2017. We are in a knowledge economy. Our jobs require us to execute at peak mental performance. When an athlete is injured they sit on the bench and recover. Let&rsquo;s get rid of the idea that somehow the brain is different.</p> </blockquote><figure class="image"><div class="image-container"><img alt="" data-attribution="Giphy" data-attribution-url="" height="282" src="//cdn.someecards.com/posts/giphy-1-90IdOl.gif" width="500" /></div><div class="image-attribution">Giphy</div></figure><div className="ad-splitter"></div>

Woman takes mental health day in company-wide email. Her boss is into it.

The office can feel like a sad, soulless place whose purpose is to grind you down and challenge your will to live with the aggressive monotony. Astute, Schrute. GiphySo, it&#39;s crucial to look after one&#39;s mental health&mdash;the brain being as vital an organ as the lungs and the legs or what have you&mdash;although people are still hesitant to talk about it.When web developer Madalyn Parker needed to take a Mental Health Day to recharge her batteries, she sent an honest email to her whole company. Her boss, Ben Congleton, sent an equally refreshing reply.When the CEO responds to your out of the office email about taking sick leave for mental health and reaffirms your decision. 💯 pic.twitter.com/6BvJVCJJFq&mdash; madalyn (@madalynrose) June 30, 2017 &quot;Hey Madalyn, I just wanted to personally thank you for sending emails like this,&quot; he wrote. &quot;Every time you do, I use it as a reminder of the importance of using sick days for mental health &mdash; I can&#39;t believe this is not standard practice at all organizations. You are example to us all, and help cut through the stigma so we can all bring our whole selves to work.&quot;People on Twitter were impressed with the response.  I&#39;m gonna have to start job hunting soon and I&#39;m mentally ill &amp; have panic attacks. Thanks for giving me hope that I can find a job as I am. &mdash; ollie? (@recarmdran) July 2, 2017   Are y&#39;all hiring &mdash; Anthony Ly (@Funkopedia) July 10, 2017   I love your bunny and that your CEO supports you &amp; understands. Its amazing. Hope your time of clarity helps you feel more like yourself! &mdash; Monnie (@monnie) July 2, 2017 I work for @olark. We stick to our values (https://t.co/R4z2LGkW13) and strive to make business human :)&mdash; madalyn (@madalynrose) July 11, 2017 After the tweet went viral, CEO Ben Congleton elaborated on his valuing mental healthcare in a post on Medium: It&rsquo;s 2017. We are in a knowledge economy. Our jobs require us to execute at peak mental performance. When an athlete is injured they sit on the bench and recover. Let&rsquo;s get rid of the idea that somehow the brain is different. Giphy