Ways Companies can Support Mental Health

HR leaders are often asked what they’re doing to support employee wellbeing. The usual conversation is about mental health benefits, work-life balance, flexible work, mental health days, etc. But what about the well-known major life stressors that impact employee mental health and wellbeing?  How can/do we support employees during these crucial moments? Death of a loved one - What is your bereavement policy? Does it include miscarriage? Pets? Does it provide for any additional support? Or flexibility to spread the time off over a period of time? Do you have comms that help managers support grieving employees? This is a moment that really matters to employees and the support they get (or don’t get) has a huge impact on their wellbeing. (Check out Bereave for ideas on policies/support or Pyn’s Open Library for template comms) Financial challenges / changes - Providing financial education is fine, but there’s so many more ways to support an employees’ financial wellbeing (and thus their overall wellbeing) beyond providing an equitable/competitive salary. Could you offer student loan repayment programs, 401k match, employer-paid disability insurance, or access to a certified financial planner? One-size-fits-all programs aren’t likely to meet the needs of everyone currently in the workforce so even better if you can let people select the option that works best for them. Becoming a caregiver -  What is your parental leave policy? Do you provide career coaching or flexible work options to parents returning from leave? Do you have benefits related to child care or elder care? For folks who have very many ideas about how to support caregivers I highly recommend following: 🏡 Kim Rohrer, Allison Whalen, Cassandra Babilya, Kaleana Quibell You can also check out benefits like Overalls (full disclosure I'm an advisor) that offer support to employees throughout a variety of life stressors. When we think about how to support employee mental health and wellbeing there are actually so many things as HR leaders that we can impact! What would you add to the list that's perhaps an "outside the box" approach to supporting employee mental health/wellbeing?

Yoga, meditation, pizza parties, and smoothie bars often get a bad rap—or become easy scapegoats—for ineffective wellness strategies. But these activities can support well-being when used alongside deeper organizational efforts. Real change only happens when organizations tackle the core drivers of burnout and embed well-being into their core values and culture. This includes: • Fair workloads and staffing levels to prevent chronic overwork • Clear roles and expectations to reduce confusion and stress • Psychological safety so employees feel comfortable speaking up • Supportive leadership that models healthy boundaries • Flexible schedules and work options where possible • Opportunities for career growth, learning, and personal development • Effective communication and alignment to reduce unnecessary stress • Access to mental health resources and peer support networks Sustainable and holistic well-being isn’t served by isolated activities or “wellness programs.” It requires building a culture of joy, purpose, and connection where people feel valued and empowered to thrive in their work and life. Have you seen organizational cultures that get this balance right? #JustOneHeart #Wellness #Leadership #Culture

We've all seen them: those generic work excuse notes. Here's the thing: they often fall short of what employees truly need. What if we offered more than just a piece of paper? Here's how companies can truly support their teams facing life challenges: ⚫ Family Loss: Going through a loss? A few days off isn't enough. Offer extended leave and a flexible return plan to ease the transition back to work. ⚫ Miscarriage: This isn't just a physical issue. Provide generous leave, access to grief counseling, and understanding during this difficult time. ⚫ Child's Hospitalization: Medical bills don't disappear with a get-well card. Consider extending healthcare support and covering unexpected costs. ⚫ Chronic Illness: "Feel better" just doesn't cut it. Offer ongoing adjustments to work roles and schedules to create a sustainable work environment for employees with chronic health conditions. ⚫ Financial Stress: Financial worries are a heavy burden. Explore emergency financial assistance and flexible pay options to alleviate some of the pressure. ⚫ Burnout: A quick break isn't a solution. Offer mandatory time off, access to wellness resources, and address the root causes of burnout to prevent future issues. ⚫ Workplace Bullying: Policies are a start, but take action! Enforce strict anti-bullying rules to create a safe and respectful work environment. ⚫ Returning Parents: Re-entry is hard. Support them with a gradual return schedule and flexible hours to help them adjust. ⚫ Injury Recovery: Focus on security, not just recovery. Protect their job and adjust duties as needed to ensure a smooth return to work. ⚫ Caring for a Sick Child: Shouldn't be a choice between family and work. Offer guaranteed leave with job security to alleviate stress and allow them to focus on their child's well-being. ⚫ Eldercare: Taking care of aging parents takes time. Show flexibility and understanding towards their eldercare responsibilities. ⚫ Mental Exhaustion: Rest isn't enough. Offer structured mental health breaks and support programs to manage stress and promote emotional well-being. ⚫ Personal Trauma: Healing requires support. Provide access to professional therapists and recovery groups to help employees navigate difficult experiences. ⚫ Disability Needs: Accessibility is more than ramps. Regularly assess and adjust the workspace to meet individual needs and ensure everyone can thrive. ⚫ Workplace Safety: Safety isn't an afterthought. Implement and enforce strong safety measures to prevent injuries in the first place. We can do better than shuffling paperwork. Let's stand by our teams, not just oversee them. By prioritizing employee well-being over policies, we create a win-win situation for everyone. A happy, healthy, and supported workforce is a productive and successful workforce. What are your thoughts on supporting employees through life challenges? Share your experiences in the comments! #empathy #worklifebalance

Mental health is an increasingly pressing priority for new workers—and as an employer, you need to be prepared to offer support. Here’s how to show new hires you value mental health: * Integrate mental health into recruiting, hiring, and onboarding. When recruiting, create an employee well-being statement that clearly defines what mental health means to your organization. In job postings, be transparent about the mental health resources you offer, and include in-depth guides for navigating mental health benefits in onboarding materials (especially for incoming people managers). * Create a sustainable, mentally healthy work culture. This entails being upfront about workplace norms—both “hard norms” like roles, timelines, and deadlines and “soft norms” around urgency, responsiveness, and how people communicate. It also means establishing collaborative, flexible expectations around when, where, and how people work. * Make mental health support accessible and intuitive. During employees’ onboarding, hold learning sessions and Q&As with your benefits team and publish simple how-to guides on your intranet detailing how to navigate and weigh different benefit options. Train managers on mental health first aid and consider subsidizing tools for developing healthy behaviors, such as meditation apps, coaching solutions, sleep tools, and gym memberships. This tip is adapted from “How to Support New Workers’ Mental Health,” by Bernie Wong et al.

This article in HBR might seem to be critical of workplace well-being programs due to the title, but a closer read aligns with what we know from decades of research. Bottom line: we won't make progress on addressing burnout and mental health trends if we don't complement individual programs with organizational and leadership support for well-being. The authors offer the following guidance to support a more holistic approach to well-being. 1. Complement individual well-being programs with organizational changes that address the root causes of burnout and mental health. The authors cite several specific examples of how organizations like Microsoft, Best Buy, and Slack are doing so. 2. Establish clear goals and measure progress associated with organizational changes to promote transparency and build employee trust. The authors offer suggestions around recommended metrics. 3. Involve employees by implementing well-being champion networks. When executed well, they provide a feedback loop to inform programs; provide peer support within work groups; and complement systems-level changes in policies and managerial support. 4. Enhance managerial training with people management and mental health skills. Here the authors point to research conducted in the UK to illustrate the effectiveness of providing mental health training for managers. 5. Implement human capital metrics that align with global standards and ESG. Forward thinking organizations are looking to standards like ISO 45003 for guidance on how to systematically assess and implement measurement strategies that emphasize employee mental health and promote transparency externally. For more information, take a few minutes and read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g557u9kD

Ignoring mental health at work is costing your team more than you think. Mental health is a productivity, creativity, and retention issue. It is not just a personal issue. Leaders who prioritize their team’s emotional well-being see better results. If you aren't talking about mental health, you’re missing the opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient team. ✅ Start the conversation.  ↳ Share your own experiences when they feel right and encourage openness. ✅ Model boundaries.  ↳ Take breaks, log off at reasonable hours, and encourage your team to do the same. ✅ Offer tangible support.  ↳ Make sure resources like counseling or wellness days are accessible and known. ❌ Don’t wait for burnout.  ↳ If someone looks overwhelmed, step in and offer help before it spirals. ❌ Stop praising overwork.  ↳ Balance leads to sustainable success, not 24/7 hustle. Prioritizing mental health is essential for a thriving team.

Mental Health Crisis brewing in Organizations - Are traditional wellness programs enough? A survey called “People at Work 2023: A Global Workforce View” concluded that almost two-thirds (65%) of workers said stress adversely affects their work and almost half (47%) echo similar concerns regarding their mental well-being globally. This is where the question, of whether traditional wellness programs are enough, becomes all the more dominant. In view of the same, I’d like to share some action steps that you can initiate in your organization to tackle workplace stress, an area where the UK-based HR Tech organization, Ciphr leads by example ⬇ 1. Utilization of Advanced HR Tools: Implementing HR software can reduce administrative workload by 30%, enabling HR to dedicate more time to employee wellbeing initiatives. 2. Promoting Work-Life Balance: By promoting reasonable work hours, introducing flexible work arrangements, and encouraging the use of paid time off (PTO), HR can enable employees to disconnect and recharge, ultimately reducing burnout and stress 3. Prioritizing Physical Wellbeing: Participation in onsite fitness facilities and wellness workshops can contribute substantially to improved employee health. 4. Mental Health Support: Employees can be encouraged to utilize the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as these provide employees with access to mental health professionals and resources to help manage personal and work-related stressors effectively. 5. Financial Literacy: Initiatives that offer employees financial advice services, especially free mortgage advice, ease financial concerns and offer mental peace. 6. Effective Communication Channels: Adoption of transparent communication practices can help in increasing employee satisfaction by pushing team meetings, suggestion boxes and anonymous surveys to encourage open dialogue. 7. Building a Positive Culture: Employee engagement scores are believed to rise after the successful implementation of regular team-building events and recognition programs like team lunches, themed dress-up days, and volunteering opportunities, encouraging bonding and alleviating work-related stress By putting these suggestions into play, HR can work towards enhancing employee satisfaction, eliminating burnout/stress, and eventually contributing to overall organizational success and productivity. #wellnessprograms #mentalhealthcrisis #employeesatisfaction

🚨 Toxic Work Culture: Its Mental Health Impact and the Path to Positive Change 🌟 In today’s fast-paced professional world, the environment we work in plays a crucial role in shaping not only our productivity but also our mental well-being. A toxic work culture—marked by micromanagement, favoritism, lack of trust, and poor communication—can have profound effects on individuals and teams. But the good news? Organizations can take deliberate steps to foster a healthy, trust-based culture that thrives on positivity and collaboration. 💡 📉 The Science Behind Toxic Work Culture and Mental Health Studies show that toxic work environments increase stress levels, leading to: ❌ Burnout – Chronic stress from excessive demands or lack of support. ❌ Anxiety & Depression – Employees feel undervalued or even unsafe. ❌ Decreased Morale – Poor communication and negativity hinder teamwork. ❌ Physical Health Decline – Prolonged stress can lead to insomnia, headaches, and even cardiovascular issues. 💔 Toxic workplaces also damage team dynamics, leading to conflicts, poor collaboration, and a higher turnover rate. 🌟 The Shift: Building a Positive Work Culture Organizations and leaders must take a proactive approach to create psychologically safe workplaces where employees feel valued and empowered. Here’s how: 1. 🔑 Build Trust at Every Level • Encourage transparent communication. • Empower employees to make decisions and take ownership. 2. 💬 Foster Open Communication • Create an environment where feedback flows freely. • Use active listening and ensure all voices are heard. 3. 🌱 Prioritize Employee Well-Being • Offer mental health resources and flexible working arrangements. • Recognize the importance of work-life balance. 4. 🤝 Lead with Empathy • Train managers to lead with emotional intelligence. • Celebrate achievements and recognize efforts consistently. 5. 📚 Invest in Professional Development • Provide opportunities for learning and growth to boost morale. 🏆 The Benefits of a Trust-Driven Culture ✅ Higher employee satisfaction and retention. ✅ Improved mental health and overall well-being. ✅ Better collaboration and team performance. ✅ Innovation thrives in an environment where employees feel safe and supported. Conclusion: Toxic work cultures may be pervasive, but they are not irreversible. By fostering trust, empathy, and open communication, organizations can create thriving workplaces where both individuals and teams can grow. 🌈 Remember, positive change starts at the top—leaders must lead by example. 💪 Let’s work together to build a culture where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued! 🌟 What steps are you taking to create a better workplaces? 💬✨

Burnout isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like “I’m fine.” While your mind is running on fumes. And still ▪️ You take one more call. ▪️ Reply to one more email. ▪️ Tell yourself to “just push through.” But your brain isn’t a machine. And your value doesn’t come from output alone. 🧠 Here’s the truth: Mental health isn’t a luxury. It’s a performance tool. The best teams protect it. The best leaders normalize it. The best cultures build it in. 👇 12 ways to protect your mental health at work Without waiting for a crisis. Without burning out. Without apologizing for being human. 1. Set clear boundaries → Define when work ends, and honor it. 2. Take real breaks → Step away. No screens. No guilt. 3. Say “no” (without overexplaining) → Protect your time like your peace depends on it. 4. Speak up when overwhelmed → Don’t wait until you're drowning. 5. Use your PTO → Rest is productive. You don’t have to earn it. 6. Declutter your digital space → A tidy inbox = a calmer brain. 7. Avoid toxic comparisons → Their hustle is not your blueprint. 8. Ask for help early → Struggling in silence helps no one. 9. Log off with intention → Close the loop. Don’t carry it home. 10. Connect with your team → Human moments beat Zoom fatigue. 11. Celebrate small wins → Progress > perfection. Every day. 12. Make time for joy → Schedule something that lifts you, daily. 🔁 Repost to normalize mental health at work. 💾 Save this for the days that feel too heavy. ➕ Follow Gabriel Millien for more tools to lead and live better.

The vibe in America is not good right now. And most workplaces are pretending like it’s business as usual. People are struggling. Inflation is brutal. Healthcare access is unstable. Political uncertainty is high. Many employees are barely holding things together. And most workplaces are doing nothing to acknowledge these realities. The old “leave it at the door” mindset is not realistic. Employees can’t just compartmentalize when the world outside of work is actively harming them. If your company is operating like nothing is wrong, it’s failing its people. What you can do instead: 〰️ Give people more flexibility. If someone needs to step away for a mental health day, a protest, or personal safety - trust them to do so and get their work done. 〰️ Acknowledge reality. Silence sends a message. When things are heavy in the world, saying nothing is a choice. Even if it is just a short 'we know things are hard right now' at an all-hands or encouraging managers to check-in with their teams, it goes a long way. 〰️ Make space for people to step back. Expecting employees to maintain 100% engagement and productivity when their rights, safety, and security feel at risk is not leadership. 〰️ Offer real support. Can you provide mental health stipends? Emergency funds? PTO with no questions asked? Give people tangible options for care. 〰️ Drop the toxic productivity culture. People are not okay. The worst thing a company can do is push harder when employees already have nothing left to give. So what are you doing to acknowledge what people are going through right now? How can you take better care of your people?