Statewide chamber addresses work and mental health

The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah’s largest and longest-standing business association. And is a statewide chamber of commerce with members in all 29 Utah counties. They have announced a project that will hopefully have a huge positive effect on businesses statewide.

It’s called the Utah Community Builders organization. CEO and president of the statewide chamber Derek Miller was on KVNU’s For the People program on Monday and said it is fitting to be talking about the organization here at the beginning of May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.

“And that is part of the work of the foundation – the Utah Community Builders – to raise awareness, not just generally, but specifically, within the business community and within companies around the state, half of all Utahns get up every morning and go to work. So, it’s important that those workplaces are aware and that those individuals who go to those workplaces are aware of what is happening across the country with mental health awareness month in May,” he explained.

Miller said historically a business might tell an employee to keep their personal problems at home and no one wants to know about it at work. But, he said, those days are in the past.

“And there’s also studies that show that every dollar that’s invested by a business in employee mental health that results in a $4 return on improved health and therefore improved productivity. So, any business leader, any business owner who wants to have more productivity in their workplace ought to be focused on this issue.”

Miller said there are estimates the economy loses about a trillion dollars a year in lost productivity because of a lack of mental health and mental health challenges in the workplace.

This coming Friday, May 7th at 12 noon, a free webinar is being offered by the chamber on ‘Leading a Resilient Workforce’. Details on that and the community builders project are at slchamber.com.

AUDIO: Derek Miller talks to Jason Williams on KVNU’s For the People on 5-3-2021

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