9 INSTITUTE FOR WORK & HEALTH
Sharmeen works as a security guard in the psychiatric ward of a large hospital. In her work, Sharmeen
has had to restrain violent patients. She has also witnessed several opioid overdose deaths.
Sharmeen's manager, Ben, has formalized a debriefing process in which all members of his team gather for
a short meeting at the end of the week to discuss incidents and share their insights from these experiences.
At the end of each meeting, Ben emphasizes the importance of mental wellness and repeats the message
that the workplace is committed to supporting his team as needed following exposures to trauma.
Ben also makes sure to be available for additional one-on-one discussions if any member of the team
would prefer to talk privately.
Sharmeen has a history of depression, which Ben is aware of, so she sometimes takes him up on his offer
of a one-on-one chat. In those chats, Sharmeen sometimes talks through a particularly difficult situation,
or works with Ben to identify resources to help her process traumatic experiences.
Thanks to Ben's efforts to make mental health a priority for his workers, Sharmeen is never afraid to ask
for help or support when she needs it.
Case Study:
A supportive manager
