7 mental-health program mistakes you should avoid

Employee mental health is among the major concerns for well-being excutives at many organizations, and that concern was vastly amplified during the pandemic.

The truth is, though, that organizations and their third-party partners are still learning how best to serve their workers and experimenting with effectively engaging their people. No one becomes an expert overnight. But understanding what works and why, and knowing what has not worked elsewhere, is valuable in formulating programs at other organizations. Here are some workplace mental-health concepts that have proven problematic.

Overlooking cultural stigma

No mental health program can flourish in an environment where a deep stigma against it exists. Communication efforts from the C-suite down through lower management will determine if an employee feels supported enough to engage on the sensitive topic of workplace mental health, or whether they’ll deny themselves the care they need to keep their job.

An example is the Respite Room at M+A Architects, a 40-year-old firm based in Columbus, Ohio. This safe space for mental and emotional recharging was like a ghost town at first, with just 16% of employees engaging.