Prioritizing Mental Health at Work Means Prioritizing Psychological Safety
As people across the globe champion World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024, Workplace Options (WPO), the leading independent provider of workplace wellbeing and employee engagement solutions, understands how supporting employee mental health connects to organizational success. World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity for leaders and managers to initiate dialogue and reduce stigma around often-hidden struggles. This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “It’s Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace,” emphasizes the importance of creating psychologically safe and inclusive workplace cultures, where every employee feels safe, valued, and empowered to thrive.
“True inclusive leadership begins with recognizing the psychosocial risks in the workplace, and that often requires a major cultural shift,” said Alan King, WPO President and CEO. “Employees can only move the needle so far on their own—they need to be actively consulted by their employer, and leaders need to create an environment of psychological safety and purpose, resulting in greater commitment, productivity, and alignment with organizational goals.”
In a world where the pressures of work environments are more prominent than ever, mental health claims are representing a growing portion of injury claims in the workplace. Data points indicate mental health injuries have a much greater impact on individuals and organizations than physical injuries, with significantly higher costs per claim – between double and triple – longer time injured and away from work, and a lower chance of returning to work.
By prioritizing mental health and psychological safety, organizations can significantly improve employee engagement – which improves the bottom line. Research shows that poor mental health can lead to decreased performance, increased absenteeism, and higher staff turnover.
To assist leaders and managers in prioritizing mental health across their work environments, WPO launched its annual World Mental Health Day Toolkit with actionable strategies such as:
- Communication: Promote and participate in mental health initiatives.
- Awareness Events: Organize webinars and town halls on mental health benefits.
- Long-term Strategy: Establish ongoing programs that support mental health beyond World Mental Health Day.
Building a Culture of Psychological Safety
Creating an environment where everyone feels safe and encouraged to be their authentic self is essential for employee engagement – and drives a supportive mental health culture. The 2024 World Mental Health Day Toolkit outlines how leaders can cultivate this safety through:
- Open Dialogue: Encourage conversations about mental health to normalize the discussion.
- Self-Awareness: Enhance emotional intelligence to better support your teams.
- Inclusive Leadership: Establish practices that ensure all voices are heard and valued.
Virtual summit hosted by Workplace Options on October 15, 8:30am – 12:30pm EST
Media are welcome to attend WPO’s global summit focused on key issues C-Suite leaders are facing every day and everywhere: employee engagement, inclusive leadership, and psychological safety. The half-day event will bring together global leaders and experts to share best practices for balancing people and performance in a world where the “workplace” continues to evolve. Attendees will leave the Summit with practical strategies for creating effective employee engagement by prioritizing psychological safety, advancing inclusivity, and fostering open and honest communication.
The Summit is packed with sessions for C-Suite executives, including “Igniting Employee Engagement: Leadership and Governance Strategies for a Thriving Workforce,” hosted by Jackie Ferguson, CDE®, Co-founder and VP of Content and Programming at The Diversity Movement, a Workplace Options Company. Jackie will host a live-streamed episode of her popular podcast Diversity: Beyond the Checkbox Podcast with special guests Joe Davis, Managing Director and Senior Partner | Chair, BCG Center for Inclusion and Equity at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Sunaina Sinha, Global Head, Private Capital Advisory at Raymond James. The podcast will examine real-life situations to help leaders implement people-first strategies.
The Summit will also feature a C-Suite roundtable specifically designed to provide senior leaders with practical take-away action items for elevating their leadership strategies. The roundtable will include Dr. Kennette Thigpen Harris, LCSW, Chief Clinical Officer at Workplace Options and Kurt Merriweather, CDE®, Co-founder and VP of Marketing at The Diversity Movement.
Hosted virtually on Teams, the event will include multiple language participation options with closed captions offered in Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese and Simplified Chinese.
Please register HERE
About Workplace Options (WPO)
Founded in 1982, Workplace Options (WPO) is the largest independent provider of holistic wellbeing solutions. Through customized programs, and a comprehensive global network of credentialed providers and professionals, WPO supports individuals to become healthier, happier, and more productive both personally and professionally. Trusted by 56 percent of Fortune 500 companies, WPO delivers high-quality care digitally and in-person to more than 79 million people across 116,000 organizations in more than 200 countries and territories.