Four Ways Strategic Communications Can Improve Mental Health at Work
Thriving Workplaces: Fostering Mental Health Equity salon hosted by Global Gateway Advisors and CommPRO in May, featuring a conversation with Natasha Bowman, JD, SPHR.
Growing concerns around mental health is a global health and workplace crisis that impacts all of us differently. In the United States, it has surpassed other health concerns like cancer and stress. A recent global poll found that mental health is the primary health concern in 31 countries, with an average of 44% of respondents citing it as such.
Work amplifies broader societal issues that negatively impact mental health, particularly for diverse communities, including discrimination, inequality, and barriers to access. Unfortunately, discussing mental health in work settings is still hindered by stigma and shame.
Prioritizing mental health equity for employees is a critical forward-looking talent strategy to help build thriving future workplaces that improve business outcomes. In a recent pulse survey from Mind Partners and Harris, employees reported stress about mental health as the top obstacle to productivity at work. That is why mental health equity is an essential conversation that business leaders should have year-round.
During Mental Health Month in May, Global Gateway Advisors and CommPro convened a group of business, government, and advocacy leaders to exchange ideas about addressing mental health equity in the workplace.
Four clear strategies emerged to advance culturally competent communications around mental health at work.
1. Measure What Matters: Employers can measure employees’ mental health at work like they measure employee satisfaction. Data—such as anonymous surveys, voluntary focus groups, or wellness program participation and feedback—can illuminate how mental health impacts employees differently, depending on where they’re based, their socio-cultural background, and other demographics. Understanding these nuances can facilitate tailored support and improve policies that help retain employees.
2. Lead by Example: Employees often say they want to share their experiences or access support at work but don’t feel they have a safe space to do so. According to the 2024 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll, 74% of full-time employees in the US say it is appropriate to discuss mental health concerns at work, yet only 58% say they feel comfortable.
Senior leaders who share their mental health experiences break down the stigma through storytelling. They can create a safe space for employees to do the same, fostering productive dialogue and support networks.
“It takes one brave person and their story to move people and create a safe space. There is power in storytelling, so people know they are not alone,” said Carmella Glover, Vice President, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Page Society.
3. Provide Clear Messaging: Most people want to support their colleagues but may lack confidence that what they say will be the “right” thing for the workplace. Increasingly, organizations are equipping managers with the resources they need to manage conversations about mental health with their teams. Through purposeful training and engagement strategies, managers receive the necessary resources to handle mental health conversations within their teams.
“We need a ‘stop, drop, and roll’ for the steps to take when someone in your life needs you. This is one of the important communications challenges in mental health equity,” said Erika Soto Lamb, Vice President of Social Impact Strategy at Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios at Paramount Global. “That’s why we partnered with Active Minds to launch a.s.k, or acknowledge, support, keep-in-touch.”
4. Foster Inclusive Conversations: Mental health communication should embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures, abilities, generations, and perspectives.
The Mind Partners Harris Poll recent pulse survey found that employees experience significantly better mental health and engagement outcomes when unique social identities are acknowledged and supported. The 2024 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll also reinforces that our intergenerational workforce creates differentiated needs.
“A person may need mental health Tuesday instead of Friday,” said workplace mental health advocate Natasha Bowman, JD, SPHR, “Off-the-shelf policies do not work because they’re inflexible and not inclusive.”
When organizations implement strategies to change the conversation around mental health at work, they’ll realize the benefits for their workforce, culture, and bottom line.
