How community and purposeful employment can improve your mental health
September is National Suicide Prevention Month 
, a time dedicated to raising awareness, spreading hope, and connecting people with resources to discuss suicide prevention and find the help they need.
At IBVI, we know that, for many who are blind and visually impaired, the challenges of daily life can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to finding meaningful work.
We also understand how important a sense of purpose and community can be for one’s mental health. That’s why we’re dedicated to creating a supportive workplace where everyone can thrive.
As we take time to recognize National Suicide Prevention Month, we want to highlight how access to meaningful employment and social connectedness can significantly improve the overall well-being of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Understanding the Challenges
It’s no surprise that those who are blind or living with visual impairments face unique challenges. Whether it’s workplace barriers like navigating physical spaces or a lack of assistive technologies, these experiences can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and even depression. In fact, some studies suggest that adults with visual impairments are nearly twice as likely to experience depression when compared to the general population.
Not to mention, additional stressors like maintaining independence, accessing important information, or dealing with common misconceptions about what they can and can’t do only add to those feelings of exclusion. This is why it’s so important for companies to focus on improving accessibility and implementing other supportive workplace measures.
By creating more inclusive environments and offering meaningful job opportunities for all, we can help build healthier communities where more people find a sense of purpose and belonging.
The Role of Community in Mental Health
Low vision is not a “one size fits all”. That’s why when someone with a visual impairment joins the IBVI team, we take the time to talk through each person’s needs, so that we can understand how to best support them along the way.
It’s all about listening to where each of our employees are at, understanding their strengths and needs, then providing them with the support they need to succeed.
Not only do we believe it’s the “right” thing to do, but research shows the importance of this kind of peer support when the goal is significantly increased feelings of social inclusion and well being. In fact, a 2020 study published in BioMed Central found that regular social interaction can significantly reduce symptoms of depression in individuals with disabilities.
Our very own Daniel Jones, Customer Service Operations Manager, spoke about the sense of community at IBVI, and how important these social and working relationships are to our employees:
“The quality of close relationships here at IBVI is really something special. It’s a unique environment that’s very different because many of the blind and visually impaired people/workforce that work here are connected socially outside of the job.
That’s an element that I’m not used to with past employment. With my last company, the only people who were blind or visually impaired were my wife and I, so we didn’t have that dynamic where you’re connected with your coworkers outside of the workplace as well. It’s really great to have.”
Purposeful Employment as a Path to Better Mental Health
Finding meaningful work is beneficial because it brings purpose, structure, and a sense of identity. There’s plenty of research-based evidence that links satisfying employment with improved mental health.
One study showed that individuals who reported having meaningful employment experienced a significantly lower rate of anxiety and depression. A key factor to these increases in both job satisfaction and mental well-being was having access to adaptive technology and a sense of support from their employers.
As mentioned before, at IBVI, it’s important for us to know what visual challenges each employee has and what assistance they feel most comfortable with. Once we understand that, we’re able to match what we have to best support each individual. Whether a customer service representative, product assembler, machine operator, or warehouse clerk, we provide various low vision tools and assistive technologies for our employees so they can truly thrive and reach their fullest potential.
You Are Not Alone
Finding meaningful work achieves much more than just providing a paycheck—it can significantly improve your mental health and help you feel part of something bigger than yourself. This month is a good reminder that we’re all in this together, and reaching out for help is a sign of strength. We can all do our part in striving together to build supportive environments where everyone feels valued and empowered.
Whether you’re in the Milwaukee area or near one of our Base Supply Center (BSC) store locations across the country, we’re always looking for amazing people to join our team. To view current opportunities, click here . We look forward to meeting you!
