Tri-Cities, Wash. —
Greg Rettner had worked in sales for 27 years when he was laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. He turned to his wife to share his struggle with burn out and not know what to do next.
His wife suggested taking some time to think about it, eventually telling him “You’re always happy. You love to work. Why don’t you go help other people work happy.”
He says it was at that moment, he knew what he was going to do. He started WorkHappy, where he speaks with employers and employees about healthy work environments and how talking/being open about mental health can help on a personal level.
The more Greg talked to people, the more he came to see how he was helping.
He says he’s struggled with mental health himself. After his wife and him were married for a year, his stepdaughter’s dad lost his battle with mental health. It led them to heal as a family and learn about asking for help.
“Now we’re talking more about it, which is great.” Greg says. “I’ve gone through struggles with overwhelm, some burnout, maybe anxiety.
Starting WorkHappy is a way to help others learn from his mistakes, while opening the door for others.
After one of his talks, Greg says a man came up to him, sharing how Greg is the first person to know about his anxiety other than his wife and doctor.
“He Came up to me and he said you know what, I appreciate the talk.” said the man.
Greg responded with “What was the best point?”
“The fact that I’m a grown man and I have no idea who you are and I’m telling you that I’ve had crippling anxiety for 25 years,” he told Greg.
Greg says interactions with his audience like that make his feel like his work is validated.
Being someone who has struggled and pulled through, his advice is for employers to share their mental health stories so employees feel less alone and more seen.
Currently, about 21% of people struggle with at least one mental illness and of that percentage, 55% haven’t received help. That’s about 50 million people struggling.
For people struggling with mental health illnesses, it’s important to remember you’re not alone. You can always reach out for help through the Nation wide Mental Health Hotline by texting or calling 9-8-8.
Talking to your employer about mental health struggles and asking for ways to get help takes a lot of courage and a big step in moving forward.
