“Did you know she worked here?”

“No. What did she do?”

I’m not sure if the conversation went something like this or if it was glossed over. What I do know is the mental health organization she worked for wasn’t healthy, even though they claimed that mental health was the top priority and of major concern, not only for their staff but also for their patients.

She wasn’t part of mental health, nor was her education or experience. Ignored? Yes. Offered any help? Never. Did her supervisors know anything was wrong? Did they check in with her, seeing if she was okay? Or did they assume because she didn’t say anything, that all was right in her world?

Instead of checking in, stopping off to see if she was okay, did anyone say a word?

She quit immediately following the organization’s employee appreciation day. The Human Resources director never addressed it. Neither did the Chief Operating Officer.

She packed up her office personal belongings without so much as a word from anyone. That’s how well she was recognized or acknowledged. Even packing up her bulky coffee maker and various pictures, no one said a word.

I caught up to her a few weeks after she left, her telling me how obscure and invisible she felt. Not even her superiors could be bothered with her leaving, until after she left – then they felt the gap. “That’s when they cared,” she recounted. “That’s when Human Resources wanted to know what they could do differently. They wanted me to help them figure out what they could do to retain people. Seriously? Now you want my input?”

I asked what she said to them and she laughed. “I told them I’m happy to talk about it. My time is valuable, starting at $200 per hour, with a minimum charge of $300. After I get that in writing, then we can talk. How about tomorrow at 9 A.M.?” She said she attempted to ask her a few questions, like why did you leave? But her response was a curt, “It sounds to me like you aren’t serious about meeting me. Thank you for your time. Goodbye.”

And she hung up, never hearing from them again.

She’s working outside of mental health now, focusing on her abilities as a leader and coordinating other leaders to build into other people, unlike her former employer.