Companies that prioritize employee mental wellbeing within their top five business goals consistently rank among the highest performers.
However, prioritizing mental health is not as simple as having an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or health insurance. It’s about creating a culture that truly cares for its people. In this article, we’ll dive into the strategies these top companies use to foster a culture of mental wellness and show you how to implement them in your organization for maximum impact.
Why Mental Wellbeing Should Be at the Heart of Your Strategy
As we saw in our introduction, it has been shown in numerous research and experienced by many companies already, employees who feel supported in their mental health are less stressed, more productive, and more likely to stay with your company. Not only does this help reduce absenteeism and turnover but it also boosts morale, fosters creativity, and promotes a positive work environment. In turn, this enhances both individual and company growth over time.
Now that we know that, how do we go about it?
A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Mental Wellbeing Culture
Building a culture of mental wellbeing isn’t just an HR responsibility—it’s a strategic priority that requires thoughtful planning and execution. We have gathered our knowledge and experience to give you a clear list on how to get started.
Download a Check List here.
1. Start with a Clear Mental Health Strategy
Begin by drafting a comprehensive mental health strategy that covers all the critical areas of focus. Outline high-level goals, assign roles, and set timelines for implementation. This strategy should be integrated into the broader HR and organizational goals to ensure alignment across the board. The strategy should not be a fancy document, it can be just a 10-20 slide powerpoint file with key objectives, necessary actions and people responsible for that with set timelines.
Practical Example: A leading tech company created a mental health task force comprising representatives from HR, management, and employee groups. This task force was responsible for developing the mental health strategy, ensuring that it was tailored to the needs of different departments and roles. It was then presented to the rest of the company for review and feedback, iterated and implemented with regular check ins and improvement.
2. Train Managers to Lead by Example
Managers play a crucial role in shaping the mental health culture of their teams. It is essential that they are commited to the the mental health policy of the company. Equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to support their teams effectively. That also means have them visibly support initiatives as well as establish dedicated budget for training and said initiatives. Mental Health First Aider programs can help mastering this knowledge.
Practical Example: An international consulting firm launched a mandatory training program for all managers on recognizing and addressing mental health issues. This included practical scenarios, role-playing, and follow-up support sessions to reinforce learning.
3. Cultivate a Supportive Workplace Environment
A mentally healthy workplace goes beyond having resources available when someone is struggling. It’s about creating an environment that proactively reduces stress and supports wellbeing. A supportive environment touches upon both the mental and physical, doing its best to offer a safe space for open communication and psychological safety as well as a safe and comfortable physical environment to be in.
Practical Example: A healthcare organization redesigned their workspaces to be more ergonomic and added quiet rooms for employees to take breaks. They also introduced flexible working hours and enhanced leave policies to promote work-life balance.
4. Secure Leadership Buy-In
For any mental health initiative to succeed, it must have the full support of senior leadership. Much like managers leading by example, it is the role of the leaders to not only endorse these initiatives but actively participate in them.
Practical Example: The CEO of a financial services company publicly shared his own experiences with mental health challenges and championed the company’s wellbeing programs. This action significantly reduced stigma and increased employee engagement with the programs.
5. Promote healthy communication & training
Training is not just for management and leadership. To make sure everyone feels safe to open up about mental health issues and well being, it is important to create a forum for such topics to be addressed, have regular check-ins on appropriate channels and offer a number of resources for employees to look into and educate themselves about their colleagues and their owns struggles.
Practical Example: A company organises quarterly mental health check-ins as well as regular 1-day workshop with mental health professionals that are open to all employees without having to take a day off.
6. Integrate Mental Health into the Overall HR Strategy
Your mental health strategy should not exist in a silo. It should be an integral part of your overall HR strategy, influencing decisions across all areas of the business.
Practical Example: A global manufacturing firm integrated mental health goals into their performance reviews, making wellbeing a key metric for leadership evaluation.
7.Ensure easy access to mental health resources
One of the most critical aspects of supporting employee mental wellbeing is ensuring that everyone has easy and confidential access to the resources they need. These resources should be diverse, culturally relevant, easily accessible, and well-communicated to all employees.
Consider offering options for both in-person and remote support, ensuring that services are accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or work schedule. Additionally, creating resource guides or quick-reference cards can make it easier for employees to find the support they need when they need it.
Practical Example: A multinational corporation launched a digital mental health platform accessible via mobile devices, allowing employees to book confidential therapy sessions, access mindfulness exercises, and perform coaching. They paired this with an internal communication campaign that regularly reminded employees of the resources available to them and offered tips on how to access these services.
8. Measure & Survey
We have KPIs for everything, why not mental health? It is important to regularly measure the impact of your initiatives to see if it actually supports your employees. Make sure to offer anonymity when asking for feedback and to act on them when possible.
Practical Example: The HR department organises quarterly anonymous“pulse survey” asking individuals about their well being in the company and overall mental health as well as what initiative they have (or not) taken part in in the last 3 months.
9. Culture & Community
Fighting stigma and promoting open communication around mental health becomes much easier when it is done in an environment that genuinely encourages these topics to be discussed and that is overall welcoming and safe to all individuality. Beyond mental health initiatives, your company needs to commit to building a strong and positive culture for all.
Practical Example: In addition to mental health initiatives, a tech company organises get together, team breakfasts, days out as well as organises buddy systems for new comers, all in order to make people feel safe and welcome and encourage creativity and well being.
Wrapping Up: Resources and Next Steps
As you develop your mental health strategy, ensure that you’re providing the right resources for your employees. This includes access to counseling services, mental health training, and wellness programs. As it cannot be expected from everyone to be a mental health experts on top of their professional skills, seeking assistance from third parties that can offer updated tailored resources and on the go personalised therapy program is always advised.
But remember, beyond the helpful tools—the real impact comes from creating a culture that values and prioritizes mental wellbeing at every level.
By following these steps, your company can become a leader in mental health, creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.
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