San Francisco Chronicle – Workplaces Prioritize Employee Well-Being
May 19, 2025 – This article originally appeared in the The San Francisco Chronicle.
Carey Sweet – It may be a shocking statement, but a recent Gallup poll found that four in 10 U.S. employees say their job is negatively impacting their mental health.
According to the 2022 survey, those workers reported that their job has an extremely negative (7%) or somewhat negative (33%) impact on their mental health, compared with three out of 10 who report an extremely positive (7%) or somewhat positive (23%) impact.
And the situation doesn’t seem to be improving. In Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace report, surveyors found that only 24% of employees strongly agree that their organization cares about their overall well-being.
Not surprisingly, employees who feel undervalued tend to be less invested in their work. In its 2024 report, Gallup found that 67% of U.S. employees admitted to becoming either not engaged or actively disengaged with their jobs, a phenomenon known as “quiet quitting.” Further, 49% said they were watching for or actively seeking a new job.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to think about well-being, which encompasses an individual’s physical, mental and emotional health at work. The condition includes factors like job satisfaction, stress levels and work-life balance and is crucial for productivity and employee retention.
The issue has become prevalent enough that in October 2022, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released the office’s first-ever Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being.
This year, Energage even added a new category to its questionnaire titled: “This company does a great job of prioritizing employee well-being.” The Pennsylvania-based research organization analyzed how businesses are helping employees live their best lives, both in and out of the office, and how employees can continue to contribute positively and not burn out.
The threat of such burnout is an increasing challenge in these chaotic times. General symptoms include exhaustion, depression, negativity or cynicism toward the job and lower professional efficacy.
There is no quick fix, but Gallup data has found an important connection between employee recognition and well-being, determining that employees who receive the right amount of appreciation for their work experience lower burnout, improved daily emotions and stronger relationships with their co-workers. Solutions can be as simple as bosses, managers and even colleagues remembering to say, “thank you.”
At Presidio Sport & Medicine in San Francisco, pats on the back are commonplace among the 54 employees working for the physical therapy and fitness specialty company.
As one Energage survey respondent noted, “I get to help people heal every day and feel like I am doing it alongside some of the most compassionate and dedicated people I’ve ever worked with. We work as a team and help each other as often as possible. My leaders and peers all care deeply about each other’s health and success as much as (that of) our patients.”
Other employees reported on how the entire company cheers together when patients begin to recover, improve their mobility or achieve their fitness goals.
“We believe meaningful work and a strong sense of purpose keep our team motivated,” said Presidio owner and CEO Chris Chorak. “We foster a supportive, collaborative culture where teammates celebrate both big wins and small milestones. By recognizing hard work and celebrating successes together, we create an environment where everyone feels valued and inspired to grow.”
The physical therapy and fitness services company was ranked No. 3 in small business and received a special award from Energage for having doers with many of the employees responding positively to the statement, “At this company, we do things efficiently and well.”
Other important well-being programs include offering flexible working arrangements, generous paid time off and team-building activities.
This year, San Francisco-based ForeFront Power won Energage’s new award that is based on standout scores for well-being, and it was ranked No. 11 in small companies. The developer of commercial and industrial-scale solar energy and battery storage projects in the U.S. and Mexico earned accolades from a staffer: “Great benefits, a lot of company paid holidays and a healthy amount of PTO.”
This year, San Francisco-based ForeFront Power won Energage’s new award that is based on standout scores for well-being, and it was ranked No. 11 in small companies. The developer of commercial and industrial-scale solar energy and battery storage projects in the U.S. and Mexico earned accolades from a staffer: “Great benefits, a lot of company paid holidays and a healthy amount of PTO.”
Another comment stated that the company has open communication and “tailors workloads to employee capacity; flexible working arrangements, trusting employees to be professionals and manage their work appropriately.”
Additionally, the company, which has a full-time Bay Area employee headcount of 37 and 128 people across the U.S., encourages camaraderie.
“We believe a strong workplace culture starts with empowering our people to shape it,” said Michelle Ochoa, senior director of human resources. “Over the past year, our Values Ambassadors — a volunteer group of employees — have launched initiatives like a running club, book club and basketball club, while also leading subcommittees focused on professional development, culture and process improvement.”
The company also recently hosted its annual company off-site conference in Lake Tahoe for three days of team bonding through outdoor activities and leisure time.
“These grassroots efforts have strengthened our sense of community, even in challenging times,” Ochoa said. “That reflects our deep commitment to creating a workplace where people feel connected, supported and inspired.”
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