5 Ways Employers Can Support Employee Mental Health—Especially During a Crisis

Making mental health a company priority reaps significant benefits—pandemic or not

To commemorate World Mental Health Day on October 10, the meditation app Headspace invited companies to pledge their commitment to workplace mental health. More than 900—including Adobe, Farmers Insurance, Snap, Hyatt, and Spectrum Health—signed on.

Headspace launched the global challenge to remind organizations of their responsibility to support their team’s mental and emotional well-being. The pledge followed the troubling results of the company’s survey of 2,500 employees across the U.S. and U.K. A majority of respondents reported feeling less supported by their employers as the pandemic continued—a trend in the wrong direction, at the wrong time.

Mental health issues are now out in the open in the workplace, thanks to changing societal norms. And companies can effectively support employee mental wellness. Here are 5 ways to do it:

1. Start with company culture

Take an honest assessment of your company’s values and culture. Especially in times of crisis, it is leadership’s role to set a tone of openness, safety, and transparency. Do your culture and employment policies acknowledge mental health issues like burnout, job stress, and work-life balance?

Company leaders need to take an active role in shaping a workplace culture that offers assistance—not apathy—or worse, judgment. While many workers are remote, make efforts to reinforce the company’s commitment to wellness through virtual gatherings and other digital resources.

2. Encourage open communication

Talking about mental health issues helps destigmatize them. And having approachable and accessible bosses and mentors can significantly lessen workplace stress.

During the pandemic, many companies initiated “check-in” protocols with remote workers to minimize isolation and build camaraderie. Assigning employees to informal mentoring or partnering teams forges connections that might not otherwise happen.

Consider dedicated communication vehicles that share mental health and wellness content, such as a monthly email blast, newsletters, or videos. It does not have to be original content; you can simply link to existing resources that address relevant topics.

3. Make benefits-related information easily accessible

It should require minimal effort for your employees to determine how and where to receive help for a mental health concern. Coordinate with your human resources leaders to send routine updates regarding benefits and care providers.

If your company partners with an Employee Assistance Program, promote its use regularly, especially to remote workers.

4. Invest in training and technology

Company leaders and human resource managers should receive proactive and preventive workplace mental health training. The training should cover workplace mental health issues and best practices to address them, and debunk common myths and misconceptions.

If formal training is not a practical option, a lower-cost solution is to encourage mental health employee resource groups. Under the sponsorship of a company leader, these groups allow like-minded employees to meet and discuss important workplace-related mental health concerns.

Technology offers low-cost options for supporting employee mental health. Many wellness apps have enterprise licenses that can cover all workers for a discounted rate; others are provided in conjunction with health plans.

5. Solicit employee feedback—and use it

Your organizational communications about mental health should not flow exclusively from the top. Maintain a company-wide dialogue about the support initiatives, and use those conversations to shape further programs.

When more formal measures are needed, periodic surveys are an efficient way to evaluate your programs. Asking employees to rate their experiences will allow you to quantify your progress over time. Keep the surveys anonymous to elicit honest opinions and maintain privacy.

An opportunity for healthy change

Now is the perfect time to implement initiatives to support your employees’ mental health. The upheaval caused by the global pandemic offers the chance to re-engineer both workplace logistics and aspects of company culture. Pledging to prioritize mental health is a great place to start—and one that helps build resilient teams. 

Carrington Legal Search is celebrating 20 years in business: we were in the trenches with our clients during 9/11 and 2008. We partner with our clients to identify leaders and mission-critical talent to shore up and grow companies even during the most challenging times. We are here for you! To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.