Mental Wellness at Work

Mental Health in the Workplace



In honor of  World Mental Health Day, we’ll be informing our readers on how they can consider, honor, and promote mental health within the work space. As a leader within a company you can control the company culture. Make it one where people feel they can be open and honest about what they’re going through, and one that promotes the wellness of its members.

World Mental Health Day has been acknowledged since the early nineties. Since then, our sensitivity and self-awareness towards mental health has changed for the better. Even as things change and we become more aware, things can only continue to improve if we implement these changes into the work space.

Promote a Work/Life Balance

Without this balance, it is very likely that your team can face burnout and productivity can decline overall. Some ways to implement this balance can be by insisting all employees take regular vacations and not expecting answers to emails off the clock. As a leader, you can ensure breaks are regularly occurring. Not just those off the clock, but by providing a space for employees to go for a quick pause from their work days. By encouraging your team to live a full, rich life outside the office can really help your company in the long run.



Discuss Mental Health in the Workplace

Bringing up issues related to stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental illness can be extremely beneficial. Training leadership within your company on the signs of mental health issues can also be helpful to your team. A caring conversation between a supervisor and employee can be vital for a person too afraid to get help.

Consider offering programming related to mental health. One way is by inviting a speaker or licensed therapist during a work day to put on  a presentation emphasizing the importance of healthy habits. Regularly mentioning mental health, self care, and stress management can all help in reducing the stigma regarding mental health in the workplace, as well as improve the lives of employees.

In addition to offering benefits, mention them regularly

While your company likely already provides an Employee Assistance Program, it is likely employees aren’t aware of what these benefits entail. Reassuring folks that these services are both free and confidential can reassure them that they’ll actually be used.

Another benefit for your team, can be free screening tools. Many times mental health issues will be left untreated because employees don't recognize the signs and symptoms. Mental Health America offers free screening tools that you can provide to your team to allow them to anonymously assess their risk factors and be far more likely to seek help.



Make Wellness a Priority

Encourage your team members to live an active, healthy lifestyle outside of work. You can do this by incentivizing steps taken, hosting health challenges, or providing a free gym membership.

Make it known that you value your organization’s wellness. Let them know by treating therapy appointments and mental health days like you would a dentist or doctor’s appointment. This can definitely change the culture within your team.


May this advice help you and your team to both improve and move further! May it inspire you to create the mentally healthy workplace cultures that should have existed all along.