When it comes to workplace mental health, many organizations ask how their employees can better manage stress. But what if we asked how to stop causing it in the first place?
In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren is joined by Jordan Friesen, occupational therapist and Founder and President of Mindset Mental Health Strategy, to unpack why traditional well-being efforts often fall short. Drawing from lived experience, years of leadership consulting, and national policy work, Friesen makes the case for a systems-level approach to mental health at work.
The conversation challenges leaders to think beyond individual interventions and toward the design of work itself—what’s creating harm, what needs to change, and how to build cultures that prioritize health before heroism.
Redesigning Work, Not Workers
One of Friesen’s central arguments is that most workplace mental health strategies are misdirected.
“There’s a lot of focus on giving people hard hats,” he says—referring to programs like mindfulness training, EAPs, or resilience workshops. “But that doesn’t help if bricks are still falling from the floors above.”
In other words, it’s not enough to teach people how to cope. Leaders need to examine the actual sources of stress (e.g. poor communication, excessive workload, unclear roles) and fix them at the source.
Friesen frames this as a design problem, not a performance issue. He draws from his early clinical experience and systems training to argue that the structure of work itself must be addressed if we want sustainable well-being. As he puts it:
“The issue isn’t that people aren’t resilient. The issue is that the system keeps wearing them down.”
Safety Comes First—Then Meaning
Friesen also speaks to a common tension in many purpose-driven organizations: people are deeply committed to their work, yet still burning out. Why? Because meaning alone isn’t protective.
“Meaning can be a powerful motivator,” he notes, “but if the environment isn’t safe… it can actually make things worse.” Healthcare workers, educators, and nonprofit professionals often derive deep meaning from their work, but are also among the most at risk for burnout and moral distress.
As Soren points out, this is similar to Scott Barry Kaufman’s reimagining of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs not as a pyramid, but as a boat. The hull represents safety and stability; the sail, our potential and purpose. Without the hull, the sail doesn’t matter.
Leadership That Supports Mental Health
While systems need to change, Friesen is clear that leaders have a major role to play, and often underestimate their influence. “Your direct manager has as much impact on your mental health as your spouse or partner,” he shares, referencing a global survey of over 5,000 employees.
This level of influence demands a new kind of leadership. One that requires skill development to notice when someone is struggling, ask questions with empathy, and connect people to the right support.
Friesen outlines key skills he feels managers need:
The ability to give and receive feedback (not just praise or criticism)
Emotional literacy: being able to name and acknowledge feelings—both yours and others’
The courage to show vulnerability and model openness
“Empathy isn’t just a trait. It’s a communication skill. It needs to be practiced out loud.”
Measuring What Matters
Despite growing awareness of mental health at work, Friesen notes that most organizations still don’t measure their efforts in meaningful ways. Voluntary standards like Canada’s national psychological safety framework exist, but uptake is low and few organizations track progress over time.
Why? “As soon as you measure it, you become accountable for it,” he says. That can feel risky to leaders who aren’t sure where to start.
Still, some are stepping up. Soren highlights organizations like DHL, which are rolling out regular “Are You Okay?” surveys across regions to better understand and respond to employee needs. Friesen encourages employers to take both a qualitative and quantitative approach: collect data, but also elevate stories and lived experiences.
Why This Conversation Matters
If we want people to find meaning in their work, we have to start by ensuring that work isn’t hurting them. Until we build systems that prevent harm and train leaders who support well-being, individual interventions will only go so far.
This episode offers a grounded, hopeful roadmap. One that starts with listening, learning, and the willingness to take shared responsibility for how we work.
Key Takeaways
Mental health at work is a systems issue, not an individual one.
Leaders have significant influence over employee well-being and need better training to support it.
Meaningful work depends on foundational safety. Without it, even purpose-driven roles can lead to burnout.
Measurement matters, ****but it must include both data and personal stories.
Empathy is a leadership skill, and like any skill, it can be practiced.
Resources for Further Exploration
National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Group) - LINK
