Six Ways to Become a Mental Health Advocate and an Ally

Melissa Rieger, Senior Vice President, Health & Wellness, Red Havas

If there has ever been a time for companies to rally behind mental health and wellness, it’s now. 

With impacts from the global pandemic, mental health finally seems to have emerged from the backburner—and it’s about time. Global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% during the first year of the pandemic alone, according to the World Health Organization, bringing forth an even greater need for employee wellness programs. 

But while efforts have been made to improve workplace wellness and further reduce employee burnout, stress, and anxiety, it’s not enough. One in five American adults is living with a mental illness, according to the National Institutes of Health—and virtually everyone is directly, or indirectly, impacted by mental health. To make matters more complicated, there are still significant barriers—ranging from access to care to stigmas—that stand in the way of people getting the treatment and support they need.

Mental health awareness is something I’ve personally been passionate about for the past several years. To be truly passionate about something, I believe you need to experience it—and unfortunately, I was part of that 25% increase reported by WHO during the global pandemic. Anxiety and depression are two things no one ever wants to deal with—but as difficult as it was (and is), I believe that my own experience has made me stronger and has ultimately helped me to become a better advocate and ally. 

If you’re looking for additional ways to improve employee health and wellness—ultimately increasing productivity, satisfaction, and retention—here are six steps you can take. 

1) Reinforce that Mental Health IS Health

Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, have long been tied to significant, and potentially serious, overall health issues. That may be why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently proposed to recommend screening all adults, under the age of 65, for anxiety and depression—even if they aren’t showing signs or symptoms. 

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting approximately one in five adults. But while anxiety disorders are generally very treatable, only one-third of those suffering receives proper care. Beyond this, those with an anxiety disorder are up to five times more likely to go to the doctor, and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders.

Chronic anxiety can lead to physical side effects—ranging from headaches to irritable bowel syndrome—and over time can impact the body’s cardiovascular, immune, and respiratory systems. Depression, which often goes hand in hand with anxiety, can lead to loss of interest in activities, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness and, most devastatingly, thoughts of suicide or action.

Those with anxiety or depression may also struggle with sleep disorders and fatigue, which can further negatively impact health and productivity. According to the American Psychiatric Association, employees with unresolved depression experience a 35% reduction in productivity.

The bottom line: Mental health should be treated as seriously as any other health condition and steps should be taken by companies to ensure employees have access to the care they need.

2) Fight Stigma through Education

Mental health is as important as any other health issue, yet, for some reason, there remains a stigma around it—or even a feeling of embarrassment to talk about it. This stigma and shame associated with mental health can ultimately lead to fear of getting needed treatment.

Taking a part in fighting the stigma around mental health is critical—and particularly for those in leadership positions. The first step is to make time to understand misconceptions around mental health. One example: Depression and anxiety have many faces and wear many hats. Just because a person appears happy on the outside and is performing solidly at work, does not mean that the person is feeling 100% on the inside. I remember when I first told a few people about my own anxiety and depression. Most people had no idea I was struggling. My work quality was not impacted. I was continuing to post cute pictures of my children and my cat on social media. I had to be fine, right? But I wasn’t.

After I was vocal about my own struggles, others (often confidentially) began opening up to me—and it became even more evident that depression and anxiety touch just about everyone. Recall that statistic: one in three struggling with mental health issues is not getting treatment. One. In. Three. This means that a lot of people are suffering in silence, and that is not okay. Companies can promote mental health and wellness by 1) encouraging employees or team members to not feel ashamed if they need time off, 2) providing a safe space so that they don’t feel discriminated against, and 3) providing access to resources that they can, in turn, seek help. Those who do disclose that they suffer from problems, such as depression or anxiety, should be treated with respect and their privacy should also be maintained. 

3) Exercise your Empathy: Empathy 🡪 Empowerment 🡪 Employee Engagement

According to 2022 Gallup research, less than one in four U.S. employees feels strongly that their employer cares about their well-being—the lowest percentage in nearly a decade. Conversely, the research also reveals that employees who do believe their employers care about their well-being are 69% less likely to look for a new job, and 71% less likely to feel significant burnout. Beyond this, those who feel cared about are five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company as a place to work and to strongly agree that they trust their organization’s leadership.

Given this, it only makes sense to embrace an empathetic management style—being supportive and sensitive when it comes to conversations around mental health and wellness. Example: Imagine that a once passionate and hard-working employee now seems disinterested in work and is under-delivering. It’s getting to a point where others are noticing and there is increasing concern that this employee may need to be placed on performance probation. Before having that needed conversation, take a step back and put yourself in that employee’s shoes. It is possible that the employee has generally lost interest or is searching for another job…but it is also possible that there is something going on in his or her personal life. 

I’ve witnessed situations like this in which the latter scenario has been true. When a situation like this is handled with empathy and understanding, it has the potential to lead to empowerment—in which the employee feels compelled to take personal action and seek help. This can ultimately lead to increased engagement and good will from the employee toward the company or management.

It is critical to treat mental health needs just like any other health need. Just because someone has depression or anxiety does not mean that he or she cannot be successful. So many of the people that we, as a society, look up to as leaders are dealing with their own issues. 

It’s important for leaders to remind team members that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ask for help. More importantly, it’s our responsibility to provide access to help. While not all issues can be resolved immediately or easily, a little bit of empathy and compassion can go a long way.

“Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgement, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You are not alone.’” ~ Brené Brown

4) Don’t Be Afraid to Be Vulnerable

I believe that mental health and wellness is a topic relevant to everyone—whether they’ve experienced it firsthand through depression or anxiety, or whether they’ve witnessed a loved one go through it. But despite the relevance, not everyone is willing to share his or her story.

I talked a bit about the power of opening up and not being afraid to be vulnerable. While there are always factors to consider before doing this, personal storytelling and sharing is something I’ve found to be invaluable. It makes sense, right? Many companies strive to promote a people-first approach…and when it comes down to it, we’re all people—from the CEO to the newly hired intern. Being able to witness and acknowledge the human side of our fellow employees helps us to form stronger bonds, while also becoming more empathetic and understanding. 

When I was going through a very rough time in March 2020—at the start of the global pandemic—one of my first thoughts was, “What can I do to make myself feel better?” I’ve always enjoyed writing song lyrics and one day, while feeling especially low, I penned the lyrics to the song “Blackest Hole” at my kitchen table. I sent them to a musician friend of mine, Adam Wedd, on a whim, and by that afternoon he had written a beautiful melody. We released the song a few months later on August 28th—which was the day I lost a loved one to suicide.This time was a turning point for me—when I went from being passionate about mental health to becoming an advocate and ally. As “Blackest Hole” began to stream everywhere and get radio play around the world, I also began to share my personal struggles with others. When I released “Blackest Hole,” more than two dozen people reached out to me personally to share their own stories—stories and battles I never would have imagined; stories from people within my own company network. How could so many people who seem so “happy” be hurting so badly? 

In addition to my song being shared by several mental health advocacy organizations and thought leaders, I’m proud that I also have been given a voice through my own agency, Red Havas, and our greater Havas Health & You network. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve watched as other senior leaders and fellow team members shared their own stories—hoping to connect with and reach others in a similar position. If just one person is helped through these efforts—just one—it’s all worth it.  

“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.” ~ Brené Brown

5) Promote a Life-Work Balance

There’s that old saying that nobody on their deathbed has ever said “I wish I had spent more time at the office.” That’s because life is more important than work. Period. It always will be.

Companies that adopt a life-work balance over a work-life balance can truly differentiate among other companies and make a difference within their own workforce. This means walking the walk when it comes to a “people first” model—offering flexibility and setting boundaries that promote employee wellness.

My agency, Red Havas, has set a high bar when it comes to life-work balance—from encouraging employees to take breaks, get exercise and follow healthy diets; to offering flexible hours and start times around personal or professional needs; to programs, such as our RedJuvination initiative that allows employees to bill one hour a week to an administrative code to re-charge. Red Havas also offers generous time off, bonus “summer days” and paid sabbaticals for anniversary milestones.   

From the top down, we also aim to set boundaries, such as no e-mails during non-work hours or over the weekends that aren’t critical. If someone needs to work during off-hour times (which definitely happens in an agency), that person is asked to communicate directly with his or her line manager and only those impacted, rather than send out a mass notification that could inadvertently make others feel guilty that they, too, aren’t working. Sometimes even these small steps can make a big impact in helping to alleviate workplace stress and burnout.

6) Provide Outlets for Discussion and Access to Resources

Today, our current situation almost feels normal—but issues such as depression, burnout and fatigue are still very real. It is important for companies to provide access to resources—as well as safe spaces and outlets for discussion—to employees.

I couldn’t ask for better team members than my colleagues at Red Havas. From the top down, mental health has been prioritized. Our CEO, James Wright, has been a tremendous advocate and has introduced or approved programs, such as granting access to the Headspace app for all employees. During the first several months of the global pandemic, we held regular check-ins with team members, weekly “happy hour” meetings and an optional “buddy system” in place for employees who were either quarantining alone or just wanted to talk to someone else confidentially. We were (and are) there for each other.

Beyond this, several of our team members are actively involved in promoting mental health and wellness—with examples ranging from our pro-bono work for Gotcha4Life, an Australian charity established to reverse the tide of declining mental health and suicide, to volunteering for a joint program between the Public Relations Society of America and National Alliance on Mental Illness to help target CEOs/leaders and encourage them to take charge in stopping the stigma against mental health.