Mental Health & The MBA: Inside Haas’ First-Of-Its-Kind Competition

Members of UC-Berkeley Haas’ team at the inaugural John Martin Mental Healthcare Challenge, along with Martin’s son, Michael Martin, at left. Courtesy photo

Mauricio Dubovoy and Mika Hyden, Haas Class of 2022 MBA candidates and co-organizers of the Martin Mental Healthcare Challenge, tell Poets&Quants that it’s important for people to understand the intersection of mental health, tech, and DEI.

“Mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion are inextricably linked,” they say. “It is time to acknowledge how one’s personal identity impacts mental health and wellness. For example, people may react differently to instances of police brutality, the rise of Asian hate, or the stressors of the Covid-19 pandemic, depending on their identity. Organizations need to assess whether they are equipped to adequately support their employees — whether they are offering mental health benefits that include therapists of color or ensuring a psychologically safe environment that empowers people to discuss mental health challenges without stigma.

“The Berkeley Haas student organizers feel strongly that the energy spent on de-stigmatizing mental health and addressing systemic racism and inequities in recent years is not just a phase. Rather, this commitment is representative of real opportunities for progress, which we hope to advance by creating spaces for conversation, connection, and innovation through the annual John E. Martin Mental Healthcare Challenge.”

They add that recruiters at large technology companies should know that future leaders “must be empathetic and fluent in diversity, equity and inclusion. As they recruit and hire employees, they must continue to prioritize DEI champions, especially given the overlap between personal identity and mental health. No longer can organizations hire people without a commitment to advancing mental health and DEI initiatives.”

GOOGLE: UNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT

One major recruiter of Haas — and other schools’ — MBAs understands well the importance of mental health. Google partnered with the school, its Bay Area neighbor, on the Martin Challenge, supporting the efforts at a school from which it was a top employer of graduating MBAs in 2021 — as in past years.

“In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, women and people of color have had a disproportionate impact on their mental health and well-being, although there have been increased reports of psychological distress overall,” says Dr. Lela McKnight-Eily, chief mental health advisor for Google Data Centers. “The future of our workforce depends on how effectively employers can aid workers through resources and support.”

Google’s partnership in the Martin Challenge has inspired change in how it does business, McKnight-Eily says. Following this year’s competition, Google added mental health elements to a request for proposal standard for data center construction and infrastructure projects. It also created McKnight-Eily’s chief mental health adviser role.

“As a safety professional, the time has come for us to understand what it means to protect the entire worker, not just physically but also emotionally. Our mental health affects our physical health and how we safely perform our jobs,” says Anita Tarab, Google Data Centers’ senior director of global performance services. “Companies need to take mental health out of the closet and put it in the forefront of how we engage with our workers and our colleagues.”

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