Powering Potential and Mental Health

At Albemarle, powering potential is something our employees hear regularly. It comes from our purpose statement, making the world safe and sustainable by powering the potential of people. Our purpose statement is a guiding principle that inspires and motivates us to support our customers, stakeholders and shareholders, but one thing we must remember is that our purpose statement also speaks to powering the potential of our global employees and ourselves.

Powering the potential of our employees means providing necessary support so that they are healthy (mentally, physically and emotionally) and empowered to do their best work. This is particularly relevant as we enter into another month of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many around the world have struggled from a lack of face-to-face interaction, as well as disrupted access to health services and other difficulties, which can have a significant impact on mental health.

World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10, is a time to reflect on the importance of mental wellbeing, and share advice to promote a positive, healthy environment for yourself and those around you. Recently, we asked our employees around the globe to share tips and strategies for managing mental health.

Here’s what they said:

“I have been spending time outdoors walking, planting, and caring for flowers and plants. I have also worked on a few do it yourself projects. The most impactful has been Uplift - a free app where people share content that inspires, informs, and encourages others to be positive, even if it is just a reminder to laugh. It may sound overly simple, but it really is uplifting when you read the posts of others.”
 – Greta Fudge, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“I’ve been managing stress during COVID-19 by practicing yoga. Physical movement, combined with mindful breathing, can make a huge difference in my day-to-day. It helps me show up better for myself and for others!
- Sarah Saxon, Charlotte, North Carolina

“Take deep breath, listen to music or read, chat with family and cook together.” – Dihong Zheng, Meishan, China

“My way of decompressing is to hang out and chat with my friends. It’s very relaxing to sit around and talk and leave all the bad stuff behind. Another great way to relieve stress is to eat delicious food.”
 – Karen Huang, Chengdu, China

“I recommend listening to Solfeggio Frequencies. It can be used as a background music during work or sleep or whenever you like it. That really helped me managing stress when Covid-19 started here in March. You can find them on YouTube.”
 - Noémi Magyar, Budapest, Hungary

“The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 stopped everything. Everyone was anxiously isolated at home, paying attention to the new figures in the news every day. The shortage of masks and disinfectants increased people's fear and anxiety. However, I asked myself when I calmed down, how long have I not sat down to read a book seriously to recharge my batteries? It is better to read books and see how those in adversity can overcome difficulties rather than spending time in endless anxiety every day. Books can really make people quiet and immerse themselves in one’s own world. It gives us faith, let people always believe there is no lost battle.” 
– Wonderful Li, Dalian, China

“Sleeping well helped me recharge and recover physical strength and relieve tension. I also started walking after lunch with colleagues. When we walk, we share stories about our family, life and daily work. Laughter is the best medicine to cure. After a long day, before I go to bed, I give myself a few minutes of peace through deep breaths and look for a balance of mind and body.”
– Annie Wu, Shanghai, China

“I walk home after work every day and exercise to get rid of mental pressure. You can also use the employee assistance plan to get expert advice and tips for working remotely.”
- Carry Xie, Dalian, China

When we prioritize our mental health and lookout for the well-being of each other, we live our Core Value of Care. For more tips on staying #healthyathome visit the World Health Organization website.