Prince Harry may have left behind the royal family, but his advocacy for human rights and talking therapies has made him the ‘Prince of Mental Health Awareness’ in our eyes.
In conversation with Fast Company, the Duke of Sussex spoke openly about how mass job resignations in the wake of the global health crisis “aren’t all bad” and those who leave a stressful job in favour of their mental health deserve to be “celebrated”.
“I’ve actually discovered recently, courtesy of a chat with [BetterUp science board member] Adam Grant, that a lot of the job resignations you mention aren’t all bad,” Harry said.
“Many people around the world have been stuck in jobs that didn’t bring them joy, and now they’re putting their mental health and happiness first. This is something to be celebrated.”
During the Q&A, Harry explained that the pandemic—and the lockdowns that came with it—brought mental health discussions in the workplace to the “foreground”, and that he believes the world is “just at the beginning of the mental health awakening”.
He also spoke openly about his job as the Chief Impact Officer at mental health firm BetterUp, discussing the rise of job resignations on a global scale, that’s now referred to as the “Great Resignation”, as per Sky News.
As for what the Duke hopes to achieve in his position at BetterUp, Harry explained that he took a job with the organisation because they envision a “world where growth and transformation are possible for everyone, and everyone has access to the support and care they need to thrive”.
Any person with their finger on the pulse would know that Prince Harry has advocated for mental health awareness for quite some time. In early 2021, the Duke even joined forces with Oprah Winfrey for a series that highlighted the importance of mental health discussions, its prevalence and how to bring further awareness to it.
Of course, Harry has personally dealt with his own struggles, from his tumultuous relationship with the media and how it’s mistreated his family to the passing of his mother, Princess Diana, which he admittedly still struggles with today.
“I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle,” he told the Mad World podcast in 2017.
But what hope does he see for those who struggle? Well, he believes that being “attuned with your mind” and “having a support structure around you” is vital for those searching for their “own version of peak performance, whether you’re a global leader or an employee working nine to five”.
So, if you’re looking to hand over a resignation any time soon, just remember that Prince Harry is in your corner.
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