Exemplifying Solutions: Organizational Behavioral Change
A Method For Organizational Behavior Change In Colleges And Universities To Strengthen Mental Health
Mental health challenges are quite common among college/university students, with the majority of students meeting the criteria for at least one mental-health issue. The daily psychological stress they experience often results in both mental and physical health problems. Further, mental health can lead to depression, suicidal ideation, or suicide. Therefore organizational change related to mental health can be implemented in schools to help prevent students from poor mental health.
What Is Organizational Behavior Change And What Does It Look Like In Universities?
Organizational behavior change refers to significant structural alterations. Furthermore, organizational behavior change entails large transformational changes for the goal of restructuring something. In terms of mental health many universities have not employed organizational behavior change methods. Conversely, universities have implemented a multitude of resources on campus like counselors and mindfulness activities. However, despite the presence of these resources, they aren’t being fully utilized by students, ultimately making them ineffective in reducing mental health issues. According to the National Library of Medicine, there are barriers to mental health help-seeking as “many college students do not seek treatment for mental health disorders.” Therefore, universities can benefit from recognizing the ineffectiveness of campus resources in mitigating mental health problems, as they are underutilized, and implement organizational changes to prevent such issues from arising. A sustainable prevention method universities may consider is focusing on campus designs that support mental health.
Campus Designs That Support Positive Mental Health
Universities could maximize social spaces and eliminate isolated areas on their campuses to foster social connectedness. Further, the CDC highlights the positive impact of social connectedness on mental health. Designing spaces with a priority on social connectedness is essential, as it enables students to feel valued and supported within their community, especially considering how loneliness is referred to as a plague on campuses. Designing spaces with a priority on social connectedness is essential. Social spaces enable students to feel valued and supported within their community. This is particularly relevant considering how loneliness is becoming a new epidemic on campuses. Loneliness research has demonstated a correlation between isolation and suicide, emphasizing the need for institutions to address this risk factor to protect their student body.
Another element to consider when redesigning spaces is trauma-informed designs, as they could aid in the prevention and treatment of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students. Moreover, college campuses harbor diverse student populations, each dealing with a unique set of challenges. Therefore, it is essential to address their struggles with the goal of creating a welcoming and calming environment. Universities employing trauma-informed designs can cultivate feelings of safety, and community among students. Neumann Monson Architects outlines the core factors of trauma-informed design.
5 Principles of Trauma Informed Design
Although a campus redesign may not seem like a feasible solution to the mental health crisis, it is a great solution. According to Neumann Monson Architects, designs supporting mental health doesn't always involve constructing new buildings. Rather, universities could renovate their existing buildings to better support mental health initiatives. Such redesign tactics would help minimize the university's environmental footprint, as well as offering a solution to the mental health crisis plaguing campuses today.
Organizational Behavior Changes are Transformative and Sustainable
These organizational changes are a long term solution to the daunting mental health crisis college students are facing. By implementing the organizational changes mentioned colleges will see reduced instances of poor mental health as well as decreased drop out-rates. Ultimately students will be given the tools needed to live a successful post-graduate life, improving the university's reputation.
