World Mental Health Day is Thursday, October 10, 2024. It presents an opportunity to review your organization’s current state and approaches to employee mental health and adopt big or small changes. How will you highlight World Mental Health Day this year?
Mental health is a concern for all of us, not just those with a formal or clinical diagnosis. Stress, family dynamics, chronic medical illness, natural disasters, trauma, grief, and many other events that happen in daily lives impact how someone manages their mental health. Mental health impacts all employees, and World Mental Health Day is a good opportunity to remind employees that mental health care is important.
Here are five ways employers can spotlight mental health in October:
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01
Raise awareness
Actively promote mental health awareness and care, use ribbons, fundraisers, or other campaigns as an opportunity to bolster awareness. Share information on mental health widely through various modalities or consider guest speakers.
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02
Focus on the workplace environment
Consider positivity campaigns, acts of kindness, or ways to encourage and develop more empathy to others and healthy habits. Consider the workplace environment and how mental health connects to DEI initiatives and the different ways diverse populations use/need mental health services.
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03
Arrange a wellness event
Provide information, address stress, hold mindfulness/meditation/yoga activities, and offer employees time away from work to take part!
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04
Communicate
Renew focus and attention on managers, communicating resources and ways to connect struggling employees to services that may be supportive. Refresh communications to employees about the resources available, especially if benefits, programs, or offerings have enhanced or changed.
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05
Address burnout
Adjust the day to address burnout and stress, consider no meeting days, no video days, and general flexible work policies.
