How CRE Employers Can Help Employees Prioritize Mental Health

In a relationship-driven industry like commercial real estate, many companies focus on maintaining strong rapport with their business partners, property owners, tenants or contractors, among others. In their drive to maintain business relationships, however, CRE firms need to make sure they are regularly checking in with their employees as well.

A May 2024 Society for Human Resource Management study found that of the 1,405 U.S. workers surveyed, 35% stated that their job was having an adverse impact on their mental health.

While offering a supportive, growth-oriented office environment and flexible work options can help employees feel appreciated , there may be times when team members are not feeling their best or are struggling with their mental health. When that happens, it’s important for employers to have support and resources ready.

Fostering a culture that prioritizes mental health wellness includes ensuring that employees can be allowed to take time off as needed without repercussions, said CRE Recruiting Principal and founder Allison Weiss. While an employee handbook might allow people to take time off for mental health reasons, if the company culture frowns upon it, employees may internalize the notion that mental health is not as important as physical health.

Company leaders can model positive behaviors, such as taking time off to focus on their mental health when they need it or openly sharing their strategies for what they do when they are struggling, she said.

Luxury Living Chicago CEO and co-founder Amy Galvin said that discussing mental health openly can eliminate stigmas and allow people to “bring their whole self to work.”

“When we talk about mental health, and we normalize it and remove the stigma around it, we create a culture in which people feel safe to ask for help,” she said. “Talking about it in the workplace helps with building safety and creates an environment in which people can thrive.”

Another way to lead by example, Galvin said, is to model work-life balance, such as only communicating with colleagues and clients about work during business hours.

Weiss said that companies can also create wellness committees with representatives from different departments who can speak on how wellness practices are incorporated into their team.

Ascension Coaching and Consulting Career and Leadership Coach Erin Aldrich-Shean said that inputting flexibility — through hybrid work and providing spaces where employees can get away from their desks for a few minutes — can go a long way.

“Having that flexibility, whether it’s being fully remote or being remote on Mondays and Fridays, has been key for employees who don’t necessarily need to be in the office for their work,” she said. “As long as employees are producing the results they need to produce, they should have some autonomy in their schedule.”

Mentorship is another way for employees to feel supported, which is especially key for CRE professionals in the early stages of their career, Aldrich-Shean said.

“They need kind and compassionate mentorship, for someone to look at them and think that they have a lot of potential,” she said. “In times of stress and burnout, it’s crucial to have someone you can lean on who has been in your shoes before. For employers, it’s about ‘how can I help the next generation come up?’”

Weiss emphasized the importance of bringing forth initiatives that address mental health throughout the year, so that employees can feel comfortable being transparent about what’s going on in their lives and seek access to resources and support.

“A huge percentage of people at one point in their life or in an ongoing capacity are experiencing mental health challenges, and it’s not a small problem,” she said. “The more we can have information readily available and start conversations about it, the more we can establish trust, reinforce that trust and make it part of our culture.”

For employees who are struggling with their mental health, Galvin offers three pieces of advice: set boundaries for your work life, make time for rest and ask for help if needed.

“Asking for help can be a strength not a weakness,” Galvin said. “At work, we don’t want to let anyone know that we can’t do something or we’re having a bad day, but if you need help, say something. You don’t have to struggle your way through everything.”