Business leaders gathered in Atlanta last week to learn best practices for supporting employees’ mental health.
Research shows managers who are more attuned to the needs of coworkers can foster higher productivity and improved job satisfaction, said Nidhi Tewari, a licensed clinical social worker who spoke at Coverage and Culture: Employer Symposium for Workplace Mental Health on Aug. 20, 2026, at The Carter Center.
“Attunement” can improve leadership and work culture and relational intelligence in the workplace, she said.
While emotional intelligence is the ability to manage your emotions and understand the emotions of others, Tewari said, “relational intelligence is what’s happening between us as we’re relating to one another and being able to help people to feel seen heard and understood as you’re interacting with them, even when your realities are different from one another.”
Managers who are more attuned to the needs of coworkers can foster higher productivity and improved job satisfaction, she said.
The symposium also included information for employers on holding their healthcare plans accountable for parity of mental healthcare coverage.
