‘We’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening’
Prince Harry has said that he thinks people who quit their jobs for the sake of their own happiness and mental health should be celebrated.
The Duke of Sussex was speaking to Fast Company magazine in his capacity as chief impact officer for the mental health organisation, BetterUp – one of three different jobs he has taken up since departing from his duties as a senior royal.
The 37-year-old discussed everything from the coronavirus pandemic and learning on the job, to past, present and future projects – with one clear overarching goal being mental health awareness and wellbeing.
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“I’ve actually discovered recently, courtesy of a chat with [well-known author, pop psychologist and BetterUp science board member] Adam Grant, that a lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad. In fact, it is a sign that with self-awareness comes the need for change”, says Harry.
He went on to draw attention to the almost general consensus that “many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy”, but that “now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first” – adding “this is something to be celebrated.”
Touching on the slate of resignations and career upheaval following the pandemic, he touched on the fact that necessity seems to have driven these issues to the surface and mental health in the workplace is actually an underlying problem that has been “brewing” for many decades – if not longer.
The Prince declared that “we’re just at the beginning of the mental health awakening” – a line that quickly irked Piers Morgan, who labelled him “a total halfwit” for not highlighting that most people cannot afford to quit jobs they hate because “they have bills to pay”.
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