Organizational Support for Well-Being and Mental Health

Despite being the most trusted institution according to Edelman’s annual trust barometer, organizations can’t fix the unprecedented challenges that have arisen in the last two years (e.g., COVID-19, war in Ukraine, surging inflation, and a potential US recession). But they can provide personal support and assurance to help reduce anxiety. The stigma and weight of the issues make mental health a very private matter, but organizations can still help employees by understanding the importance of well-being and empowering them to help themselves.

The Conference Board suggests that organizations can help support their employees’ mental health with the following seven steps:

1. Promote an understanding of what well-being is across the organization. Well-being is a composite of physical, psychological, social, and financial elements and support should take all these dimensions into account.
2. Encourage senior leaders to set the tone and lead by example. Even in normal times, it’s vital for the most senior leaders in the organization to personally and actively champion the company’s commitment to employee well-being.
3. Recognize the effect of anxiety. Some employees may feel uncomfortable or struggle to discuss their mental well-being with their manager or feel guilty that they don’t seem to be “coping.”
4. Embrace the power of storytelling. This is a powerful tool to change workplace culture and create a “sense of safety” that enables employees to be more open about their well-being, especially their mental health.
5. Review well-being strategies. Organizations should review their existing employee assistance programs and conduct a needs assessment for populations, including burnout levels.
6. Leverage employee resource groups. Employee groups (EGs) are evolving to respond to workplace changes, and well-being is an emerging topic.
7. Network with other companies to share best practices. Companies with mature well-being programs are often passionate about the importance of well-being and often extraordinarily willing to share their learnings.

For more insights on how to deploy these strategies under adverse economic circumstances, see the following article written April 13, 2020, HC Management During COVID-19: Support for Well-Being and Mental Health, containing tactics and examples that are still applicable today.