How to Foster Open Conversations About Mental Health

While I’m a big advocate for remote work, there is a real downside to seeing each other less. 👇 It’s harder to know when you need to be asking: “How ARE you? How is your mental health?” So, what can we do about it? 1️⃣ Normalise the conversation, starting at the top. Talk about mental health. Tell your employees, hey, if you’re struggling in any way, I want to hear about it. 2️⃣ Train your HR teams and your managers to do the same. There has to be a trust factor. If I don't feel safe as an employee, I won't talk to you about it. 3️⃣ Proactively check in. If you think someone might be struggling, ask them if they’re okay. In the future, I see the potential of having a feedback mechanism to help. Not just a survey or review asking about performance and work/life balance—something that actually helps us to measure our employees’ happiness. In addition to: - How well is this person performing? We ask: - How happy are you in this job? - In your broader life? - How do you feel right now? All of this will help to create a culture where people feel comfortable talking about their mental health, and employers can feel empowered to provide help where and how it’s needed. What do you think? Am I on the right track? #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #HR #humanresources

When the Department of Defense started tackling mental health stigma in the military, they thought people especially wanted (and needed) to hear messages from leadership. We encouraged leaders to spread the idea that it was okay to ask for help, and that doing so wouldn’t ruin a person’s career. But when veterans and service members heard that message, they shrugged it off: “Easy for [insert leader here] to say. They’re already a one-star general.” What actually makes more of a difference? Peers. Hearing lessons learned and advice from peers is what really builds trust - and ultimately, what motivates people to take that first step toward healing. Not a polished speech, but a real story. Something raw, relatable, and rooted in experience. That’s why peer programs matter - especially for veterans, who come from a community where acknolwedging that you’re struggling can feel like letting your team down or like you’re not “strong” enough. But open conversations about mental health - hearing from someone who’s experienced (and overcome) the same struggles - can be immensely powerful for veterans and service members working to hold onto hope. Because, turns out, most people don’t want advice from a general. They want it from the person they went to boot camp with. #mentalhealthawareness #overcomingstigma #askingforhelp p/c: Real Warriors Campaign

May is a big month for me — Mother’s Day, my birthday, and this May, my twins are graduating from college (I’m still in denial about that)! It’s also Mental Health Awareness Month, which couldn’t come soon enough! Everyone I talk to is stressed out about the steady news of layoffs, the uncertainty around AI, the divided nature of the country, and so on. Here’s the thing: people want to work in organizations that prioritize their mental health. A 2025 study from Oxford Longevity Project and Roundglass found that half of American Gen Z and Millennials say they would take a pay cut if their employer prioritized their well-being (of course the best companies don’t make their employees choose!). Here are a few things that you can think about doing this month (but really every month) to support your employees’ mental health: ▶️ Check in – a lot Research shows that when employees feel checked in on, they feel more supported and report fewer mental health challenges. According to Mind Share Partners’ 2025 Mental Health at Work report, “Employees who work at a company that supports their mental health are twice as likely to report no burnout or depression. They’re also three times more likely to trust their company and intend to stay there for two years or longer.” ▶️ Talk the Talk – literally It might sound simple, but leaders who talk openly about their own mental health struggles can make a profound difference. But in a 2024 Calm Voice of the market report, only 32% of employees say their manager “openly discusses and shares their own mental health experiences” while 26% wish they did. A little vulnerability goes a long way toward building trust—and creating a culture where people know it’s okay to be human. ▶️ Remember – one size does not fit all Building a culture of well-being isn’t about offering a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s about meeting people where they are. Whether it’s flexible work policies, therapy support, coaching, expanded PTO, or regular mental health days, the most important thing is that companies address mental health at work, employees know what’s available, and leaders take it seriously. Because when we create environments that truly prioritize mental health, it's good for people and good for business. I would love to hear what your organizations are doing to support employee mental health. We can all learn from each other.

I’ve been reflecting on the theme of May’s #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth: Turn awareness into action. Mental health can be hard to talk about, especially at work. But the more we avoid the topic, the more we miss the chance to lead with empathy and impact. Here are three things I’m focusing on, and I invite you to join me: 1. Pause and listen. Not every conversation needs a fix. But every person should feel seen and heard. 2. Be ready to point to support. I’ve had teammates open up about burnout, caregiving stress or feeling overwhelmed. I may not have had all the answers, but I could connect them to the breadth of mental health and well-being resources at AbbVie that helped. 3. Speak up. The more leaders talk openly about mental health, the more we normalize it and create a workplace where people feel comfortable asking for support. Mental health awareness matters. And it’s what we do with it that drives change. #MentalHealthAwareness