4 Ways To Honor Mental Health Awareness Month In The Workplace

Dr. Kyle Elliott, tech career coach, interview coach, and trusted confidant to Silicon Valley’s top talent via CaffeinatedKyle.com.

May marks Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. Many companies use this time to bring awareness to the issues of mental health and well-being in the workplace. As a career coach who holds advanced training in trauma-informed coaching, has completed doctoral research on mental health and proudly shares my lived experience with multiple mental health conditions, I want to discuss meaningful ways your company can honor Mental Health Awareness Month.

1. Understand the current state of mental health.

For starters, you can use Mental Health Awareness Month as an opportunity to inform yourself and your employees about the current state of mental health. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “more than one in five U.S. adults lives with a mental illness.” A recent study found that the annual economic impact of mental health in the U.S. is nearly $300 billion.

Importantly, mental health impacts everyone, not just those with a formal diagnosis. This May, consider hosting a lunch and learn, webinar or similar program to support employees in getting up to speed on the influence and impact of mental health at work and in life.

2. Educate employees on inclusive language.

Another step you can take to honor Mental Health Awareness Month is to educate yourself and your employees on inclusive language regarding mental health, which aims to avoid further stigma. Current best practice is to use person-first language, such as “an individual living with anxiety,” as it places the person before their condition.

Notably, though, language is constantly evolving. When I first started facilitating mental health workshops more than a decade ago, for instance, “mental illness” was used interchangeably with “mental health.” However, there is now much more understanding and nuance regarding language. Please don’t feel like you have to perfect your language the first time, since compassion is a lifelong journey of learning and relearning.

3. Provide opportunities for employees to share their stories.

When planning your events and programs for Mental Health Awareness Month, consider that personal storytelling can help reduce both self-stigma and public stigma. If you have managers or leaders who feel comfortable and safe sharing their own stories, such as their experiences using your company’s employee assistance program (EAP), encourage them to speak up.

Importantly, though, I never advise self-disclosure before psychological safety has been established. Instead, provide opportunities for employees to share their stories when they feel fully ready.

4. Bring in a Mental Health Awareness Month speaker.

You can elevate your programming throughout the month by bringing in one or more external Mental Health Awareness Month speakers. A professional speaker can facilitate an educational workshop, training session or team-building event focused on mental health in the workplace.

Importantly, you want to tie the discussion to your mission and work. For example, if you’re a tech company, the focus might be on managing stress and burnout. If you’re at a nonprofit or healthcare organization, you can explore ways to care for yourself when your job is to care for others. This ensures the event is as impactful and memorable as possible, rather than disconnected from the rest of your organization’s work.

Honor employee mental health year-round.

While Mental Health Awareness Month is a great reason to support your employees’ mental health, it’s just the beginning. Mental health is a year-round concern, and it impacts 100% of your employees, regardless of whether your organization is already openly discussing it. Consider how else you might encourage employees to care for their mental health and well-being throughout the year. You’ve got this!

Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?