Managers discussing mental health at work.
More companies are waking up to the need to support mental health at work, and more vendors are popping up claiming to have quick solutions. One thing remains clear for us at Mind Share Partners: only providing individual-focused mental health support for employees is insufficient. I’ve had countless calls with organizations that responded to the pandemic by investing in wellness apps—they are experiencing dismal participation rates and no overall impact on their culture or bottom line. Here’s why.
Many high-achieving employees in burnout-heavy cultures simply do not have time to participate in individual wellness programs, let alone navigate the complex enrollment systems. Have you ever tried calling your EAP? Furthermore, research shows companies must have a supportive environment for people to use company resourc. However, when it comes to mental health, trust in HR is notably low.
Out of necessity, and in response to this era of prolonged uncertainty and heightened awareness of racial injustices, many companies have increased their investment in mental health resources and company culture—including workplace mental health training for leadership, managers and employees.
Whether you’ve trained managers, started a mental health ERG or peer listening program for mental health champions, or have taken at least one important step towards mental health culture change—even the most committed leaders can be challenged to know how to sustain momentum, and what steps to take next. Here are a few approaches we’ve seen work at Mind Share Partners that move the needle to create lasting culture change and support for employees.
Have Leaders Share Vulnerable Stories And Train Your Managers Over and Over
Often, what’s next for supporting mental health is to repeat and augment what you’ve done before. It’s not shiny and new, but it’s also not complicated. At Mind Share Partners, we’ve found that the combination of these two actions is the most impactful thing you can do to reduce mental health stigma.
First, start where the need is greatest, by training managers on how to navigate mental health on their teams, both responsively and proactively. This includes updated training on how to respond to what’s happening at the moment. Are they ready for conversations about hybrid working anxiety, return-to-office plans, or geopolitical instability? Many of our partners combine live and on-demand manager training to reduce Zoom fatigue and meet global needs.
Second, equip senior leaders to share vulnerable stories—a research-backed practice. Ten minutes in an all-hands will likely make more of a difference in reducing stigma than adding a suite of mental health apps. Remember that these stories need to be affirming, de-stigmatizing and hopeful. At Mind Share Partners, we often include leader ally coaching as a part of our clients’ overall mental health strategy for senior leaders to learn how to effectively share their stories.
Mental Health Is Not A One-Time Initiative—Integrate It Into Your Existing Programs
Instead of using May’s Mental Health Awareness month as a once-a-year conversation, use it as a launchpad to create sustained support for workplace mental health year-round. Creating a mentally healthy culture doesn’t have to include a branded initiative or mountainous investment.
Companies with the most effective approaches to workplace mental health integrate it into their ongoing business activities, such as employee onboarding, leadership communications, performance management, manager training, and engagement surveys. Many of our client partners at Mind Share Partners utilize our leadership and manager training as general management or onboarding training. If leaders and managers can navigate conversations about mental health, they will be able to navigate many other situations.
Provide Executive Sponsorship For Mental Health ERGs And Peer Listening Programs
In recent years, we’ve seen two programs really take off at leading organizations to support employee mental health: Mental health employee resources groups (ERGs) and peer listening programs (also known as “mental health champions”). Both of these approaches create psychological safety and reduce stigma throughout a company. At Mind Share Partners, we’ve engaged with hundreds of mental health ERGs and peer listening programs across industries and one thing is clear: without leadership support, employee-led initiatives can only go so far.
If your organization has one of these programs in place, make sure that there is visible senior leader support and real resource allocation. Consider compensation and/or recognition plans for employee leaders in these programs to show your commitment. And finally, for peer listening programs, investing in training to equip mental health champions confirms a standard of quality for employees seeking support, and ensures listeners feel both comfortable and knowledgeable to provide support.
While many organizations have increased their investment in a mentally healthy company culture, it’s essential that they continue to shift their focus from individual solutions to a collective business priority and core part of their company culture.
