My heart is heavy as I write this. I recently lost a dear friend—a brilliant, kind, deeply loved human being. He was a devoted father, partner, and friend. He also fought an ongoing battle with mental health. And ultimately, he made the decision to no longer fight.
He was consumed by a fear that many of us know too well: the fear of not having enough.
Enough money. Enough security. Enough…worthiness.
The Scarcity Mindset: An Epidemic in the Workplace
While my friend struggled with anxiety and depression, much of what plagued him in his final days is relatable to us all. The pressure to earn, to be productive at all costs, to keep up with an unforgiving system—it wore him down. And he is not alone.
We talk a lot about mental health, and rightly so. But we don’t talk enough about the scarcity mindset that permeates modern work culture. The message is relentless:
- That we are replaceable.
- That failure is weakness.
- That we must earn our worth through constant performance.
This relentless pressure leaves many people—like my friend—feeling trapped and deeply unworthy. The need for organizations to be profitable to be sustainable is certainly understandable. However, the pendulum seems to have swung too far, adopting a “profit-at-all-cost” without a clear sense of what constitutes “enough.” When this relentless pursuit of profit overshadows the fundamental value of human well-being, the consequences are devastatingly real.
The High Cost of a Broken Work Culture
We’ve come a long way in the past 100 years when it comes to workplace safety. We now have laws that regulate working hours, age of employment, and physical protections on the job. And while these advancements matter, they’re no longer enough.
Because work is still making us sick—just in less visible ways.
Sociologist Corey Keyes found in his 2002 research that 12% of people experience languishing – a state of emotional flatness and disengagement – but studies post the pandemic are suggesting it’s closer to 50%. Keyes also found that the risk of a major depressive episode was nearly six times greater among languishing adults compared to those who were flourishing.
Cognitive scientist John Vervaeke calls this the “meaning crisis,” noting that as societies grow more affluent, rates of depression paradoxically rise. Why? Because we are losing purpose and connection.
People are languishing in silence. Anxiety, depression, and burnout are increasing year-over-year at alarming levels. And if we don’t confront this growing mental health crisis, it will only deepen. And yet, we seem to accept this as a normal part of our workplace culture.
When workplaces prioritize profit over people and efficiency over empathy, work is stripped of meaning. We lose that connection to something bigger than ourselves, that sense of belonging that fuels our souls. Employees are left disengaged, undervalued, and emotionally exhausted.
This isn’t just about dissatisfaction—it’s about survival. Something needs to change.
A Call for Transformation: Reimagining the Workplace
We must challenge the status quo. It is no longer acceptable to treat people as cogs in a machine. Every person deserves dignity, purpose, and the opportunity to flourish.
The reality is stark: the workforce is shrinking. The loss of experienced, talented people is deeply costly. To succeed in the future, we need to build work cultures that prioritize mental health, creativity, and connection.
This shift starts by recognizing our limits and embracing a more human pace.
Actionable Strategies for a Healthier Work Environment
Here are a few meaningful ways leaders and organizations can help dismantle the scarcity mindset and build workplaces where people thrive:
- Ditch the Scarcity Narrative: Stop treating employees as expendable resources. Recognize their unique contributions and express genuine gratitude for their work.
- Promote Work-Life Balance through Flexible Work Options: Encourage reasonable work hours and implement flexible work options—such as adjustable work hours and remote work. Healthy, rested people do better work.
- Prioritize Psychological Safety: Create an environment where employees can openly voice concerns and ideas without fear. Transparent communication builds trust and when people feel safe, they share, innovate, and engage.
- Empower Through Purpose: Design roles that align with individual strengths. Offer development opportunities that fuel passion and growth.
- Cultivate a Culture of Flourishing: Invest in mental health resources, resilience training, and meaningful well-being practices. A paycheck isn’t enough—people need purpose.
- Create a sense of community: Humans are wired for connection. Create a sense of belonging rooted in shared values, not just profit margins.
How You Can Be Part of the Change
This isn’t just on business leaders. Each of us can play a role in reimagining how we work and support one another:
- Start the Conversation: Talk openly about well-being, expectations, and the human cost of unhealthy work norms.
- Prioritize Self-Care: Prioritize your own well-being, creating strong boundaries around times of rest, play and connection.
- Focus on Strengths: Know your own strengths and what fills your cup and start to actively align work that uses your strengths wherever possible.
A Final Call for Humanity Over Profits
This isn’t just a critique. It’s a call to action.
My grief is real, and my anger is a testament to the injustice of it all. But even in this pain, I hold onto the unwavering belief that we can, and we must, build a better world of work. Teetering on the brink of an AI revolution, the workplace has never been more ripe for an overhaul.
Let’s choose humanity over profits, vulnerability over perfection, and connection over competition. Let’s create that world where everyone has enough, not just to survive, but to truly live and thrive.
