Mental Health Awareness

There is a growing need for businesses to review their practices, policies, and benefit offerings concerning their mental health strategy. Even with the abundance of resources surrounding mental health, in a recent SHRM Foundation survey, one-in-three workers stated they would sacrifice higher pay for a workplace that provides increased mental health benefits. In that same study, 86 percent of HR professionals in the US stated that employee retention can be improved by offering mental health resources. 
 
Each business and even departments within the business are unique in their size, structure, products, services, offerings, and the type of employees it takes to support the objectives. It can become an overwhelming task for HR to understand all the nuances within each aspect of the business and the needs of the employee population to craft a strategy. Here are some ways to help get the process started. 

1. Defining Goals, Roles, and Players 

• Why does your organization need a mental health strategy? 
• How does the HR team currently approach mental health? 
• Who are the stakeholders and allies within the organization? 
• What actions and changes fall within and outside of the HR scope of responsibility?

2. Understanding and Planning for the Needs of Your Organization 

• How would you assess the current environment for mental health? How has it changed over time, especially from before the COVID-19 pandemic? 
• How is HR responding to the mental health needs of employees right now? 
• What tools, benefits, or support do employees want and need? 
• What do employees know about the current resources? Will employees face professional risks if used? 

3. Assessing and Building on Your Existing Resources 

• What information does your organization currently provide? 
• What materials, data, tools, or survey platforms may be available for re-use? What will they measure? 
• How would employees assess current or previous mental health strategies? 
• Are current programs and services accessible to employees at all levels? 
• How are employee preferences integrated into mental health planning? ​

4. Shaping Organizational Structure 

• How does your culture create opportunities and barriers for mental health and the adoption of resources? 
• What is HR’s ability to influence the organization’s culture? 
• How does stigma deter employees from discussing mental health or seeking solutions? 
• How do current benefits (health care plans, extended time off, supplemental tools) shape employee perception of the culture? 
• What challenges does your organization face in attracting and retaining talent? 

5. Implementation and Communicating with Employees 

• What are the goals of your communication strategy around the efforts? 
• How do employees engage with communication platforms? Which ones are most used? 
• What are the key messages that need to be prioritized? How can they be adapted for different employee audiences by demographic or employment level? 

6. Measuring, Reporting, and Evolving 

• What is your plan for collecting feedback and responding to preferences? 
• How will HR measure the impact of the strategy? 
• How does the data collected compare to the goals set? 

 
Establishing an effective workplace mental health strategy is imperative for employee recruitment, retention, and productivity. It is not a quick or reactive process, but a methodical and inclusive one that can be sustained over time. 
 
Adapted from SHRM’s Field Guide for Mental Health in Your Workplace: From Evaluation to Action ​