There’s been a surge in people talking about mental health at work.
Mind Share Partners, a mental health awareness nonprofit, described the change like this: “Until recently, the conversation has primarily centered on preexisting mental health conditions and the related stigma. Increasingly, the focus is on work’s effect on everyone’s mental health.”
When mental health discussions are focused on preexisting conditions of specific people, it can unintentionally create a culture of stigma and shame. But when we talk about mental health at work as if it’s a priority for everyone—just like physical health—it creates space for everyone to be vulnerable and find help where needed.
For employers and managers, the need to invest in mental health resources for their workforce has never been higher:
- 70% of employers report mental health challenges among their employees. — The Hartford
- 68% of millennials and 81% of Gen Z workers have left a job due to mental health reasons (at least in part). — Mind Share Partners
- 2 in 3 employees aren’t comfortable sharing feedback with their managers about mental health needs and resources. — Mental Health America
Figuring out how to tackle mental health in the workplace isn’t easy, so we’ve done a roundup of mental health resources to get you started.
Mental health resources for work
A museum without visitors is just a fancy storage room. A library without patrons is just a book warehouse. And a roundup of mental health resources is useless if they aren’t shared and put to good use.
As you’re checking out the resources below, ask yourself: How can you best use these resources to positively impact mental health at your organization?
- Share the whole list in your company newsletter?
- Spotlight a different mental health resource each week or month in Slack?
- Add the whole kit and caboodle to your company’s wiki so it’s easily accessible anytime an employee needs help?
Producing positive change always requires some kind of intentional action.
Mental health coaching and training for employers
Committing to being a company that promotes mental health requires starting a learning journey. The resources below will help you learn how to build a healthy company culture and develop a strategy to support your employees’ mental health for the long haul.
- Mind Share Partners - Through their workplace mental health training and advising, nonprofit Mind Share Partners helps organizations create a supportive culture for mental health. They’ll help you deliver training, develop a long-term plan, and implement strategies to drive positive change in your company culture.
- Mental Health First Aid - This training course teaches individuals how to identify, interpret, and respond to signs of mental health disorders. It’s a great option for training managers throughout your company. They’ll be equipped to identify potential mental health issues early and get your employees the help they need.
- Mental Health America (MHA) - MHA offers consulting to help employers identify solutions to mental health concerns among their employees.
- Mental Health Works - Canadian-based Mental Health Works provides mental health workshops and training for employers and employees. They’ll help you develop training about workplace mental health, tailored for your company and industry.
- Synergy at Work - Synergy delivers training aimed at reducing stigma around mental health issues at work and increasing organizational capacity to prevent and address mental health issues effectively.
Tools and apps that support mental health at work
Mental health has stepped into focus in a big way, resulting in the creation of many different apps and tools to promote mental health in the workplace. Here are a few tools to help you build a company culture that prioritizes employees’ mental wellbeing.
- Lyra Health - Lyra Health provides employees with access to individualized mental healthcare, from self-guided programs to coaching, therapy, and medicine. According to their data, a whopping 88% of employees who use Lyra see clinically-validated improvements in their mental health.
- Headspace - Developing healthy habits is a key piece of mental wellbeing. Headspace is a leader in this realm, helping people all over the world practice meditation and mindfulness, reduce stress, and find more joy. With their Headspace for Work program, you can easily roll out Headspace to your entire workforce.
- Kona - Kona is a culture and wellbeing platform that helps managers and leaders build psychologically safe teams and prevent burnout through enabling daily check-ins. It’s the easiest way to improve morale, promote wellbeing, and build a more people-first company.
- BetterUp Care - BetterUp Care provides evidence-based digital coaching and related tools to your entire workforce. Their programs help employees be less stressed, more resilient, and ultimately more productive in their roles.
- Talkspace for Business - Talkspace matches your workers up with a network of licensed therapists directly through their platform, helping with everything from depression to grief to chronic illnesses.
Community and mental health support resources for employees
There are dozens of great organizations providing resources for employees struggling with mental illness or desiring to improve their mental health. The selection below includes everything from advocacy organizations to crisis hotlines to research groups.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - a national mental health advocacy organization. Their website includes links to support groups, educational resources on mental health, and research on mental illnesses.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - serious mental health challenges can have dire consequences. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides crisis counseling and emotional support 24 hours per day, 7 days per week throughout the United States.
- Mayo Clinic - The Mayo Clinic is one of the largest medical research groups in the world. Their site contains information on symptoms, treatments options, and resources for dozens of mental health disorders.
- Mental Health America (MHA) - MHA provides resources to promote mental health and prevent mental illness through research, advocacy, and connecting individuals to help.
- American Psychological Association (APA) - The APA is the largest professional organization of psychologists in the United States. Their hotlines and psychologist directory can provide direct help to people in need across the country.
- MentalHealth.gov - A joint effort between several organizations, MentalHealth.gov provides data and resources for individuals looking to promote mental health in their local communities.
Don’t take mental health for granted
There are plenty of great resources for promoting mental health at work. You’ve just seen a number of them.
While we all know that staying physically fit and healthy requires hard work and good habits. For years, companies have recognized the value of investing in benefits to promote physical health among their employees. It’s taken a long time for mental health to get the same recognition, but it’s finally happening.
The question is this: What are you going to do to promote mental health in your company moving forward?
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