Open Mike #15: If You Don’t Have a Workplace Mental Health Strategy, You’re Falling Behind
Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! May is the perfect time to pause and reflect on how we, as organizations, can better support the mental health and wellbeing of our employees. In a previous blog, I shared ideas for embedding a culture of wellbeing into daily workplace life. Today, I want to go one step further and ask: What is your organization’s mental health and wellbeing strategy? And just as importantly, what pillars should guide that strategy moving forward?
If you don’t have a workplace mental health strategy yet, you’re not alone but you are falling behind. According to recent research, 90% of employers plan to increase their investment in mental health benefits this year. Mental health is no longer a side conversation; it’s become central to employee engagement, retention, and even profitability. In fact, studies show that for every $1 invested in mental health initiatives, companies see a $4 return through improved productivity and reduced absenteeism. Simply put, organizations that delay action are risking not only employee wellbeing but their competitive edge.
So, where should you start? I recommend focusing your strategy around these four essential pillars:
1. Leadership
Leadership buy-in isn’t just helpful it’s essential. Without leaders championing mental health, any initiatives launched will likely fall flat. Effective leaders prioritize employee feedback, regularly check the cultural pulse, and model the behaviors they want to see around mental wellbeing. Culture always starts at the top. If leadership isn’t actively engaged, the rest of the organization won’t be either.
2. Policy
Policies are the unseen structures that either support or erode mental health in the workplace. Flexible work arrangements, psychological safety practices, and anti-bullying and harassment guidelines aren’t just nice add-ons they are core components of employee trust. Policies should be designed to empower employees to seek support without fear of stigma, creating an environment where people feel safe to bring their full selves to work.
3. Mental Health Training and Education
Training is where awareness turns into action. Embedding mental health training into your learning and development efforts helps build a stronger, more resilient culture over time. Programs like Psychological Safety Workshops or a Workplace Wellbeing Manager certification give employees and leaders the tools they need to recognize, respond to, and manage mental health concerns in real time. Remember, creating a culture of wellbeing isn’t about hosting a single seminar during Mental Health Awareness Month it’s about building sustained, meaningful education into the fabric of your organization.
4. Benefits
Today's workforce expects more than just traditional healthcare plans. Expanded EAP services, additional mental health days, wellness app subsidies, childcare support, flexible commuting these are quickly becoming standard expectations rather than "nice to have" perks. If organizations want to attract and retain top talent, mental health benefits must be seen as a critical part of the overall compensation and support package.
If you’re unsure where to begin, start by asking a few honest questions: Are we offering any kind of wellbeing training? Do our employees know about the mental health resources available to them? Can they take mental health days without stigma? Have we created opportunities for sharing mental health stories internally? You don't need to have the perfect strategy in place overnight. But you do need to take that first step. Building a culture of true wellbeing is a journey and every step forward, no matter how small, makes a difference.
