Show through concrete examples and stories how investing in mental well-being is linked to your company's values. For example, one of the values of our own company is "Always have a lunch break". For us, it goes beyond just taking a lunch break – leading yourself and your own working hours in the remote work culture so that you have time for the most essential things. You can't compromise the work life balance or there will be serious consequences for yourself, but the rest of the team, too. On social media, we talk about a lot of things that are crucial in order to arrange time for lunch breaks, not overworking and switching to a 4-day work-week. These things are e.g. working smarter, having a clear strategy and focus points. Without a focus you might end up overworking and missing those lunch breaks. And your work life balance. So, we often show our lunch moments on social media like TikTok and Instagram to remind ourselves and our audience that we live this value EVERY DAY.
One small strategy that can have a big impact on social media is actually swapping out your brand’s typical profile picture for a themed one featuring something about mental health. Whether you’re talking about Instagram, Facebook or YouTube, your profile picture is critical to your branding. It’s what people know you by. So if you make the effort of swapping it out for a themed picture, it can have a major impact in raising awareness and sending a message. It’s a seemingly small change, but can have big results. A singular post about the topic of mental health will pass through feeds in a matter of hours, but a month-long profile picture takeover can be huge. It sends a clear message to employees, customers and general followers that you care about mental health.
I recommend that employers invest time in sharing stories from employees about what mental health means to them and the importance of it in the workplace. Employee testimonials are one of the most authentic and genuine ways of employer branding communications, as the story comes directly from employees. This can also include highlighting specific mental health resources or programs (employee assistance programs, flexible work arrangements, or mental health days) that employees have utilized and are comfortable sharing publicly. If your organization has hosted any events internally or in the community that were in support of Mental Health Awareness month, this would be a great opportunity to share on social media as well. By highlighting team members and activities for Mental Health Awareness month, you can build an authentic employer brand for attracting talent that values a supportive workplace culture.
Self-care is an essential aspect of maintaining good mental health. Encourage employees to practice self-care by sharing tips and strategies on social media. Examples of self-care strategies include practicing mindfulness, engaging in physical activity, and getting enough sleep.
The cycle of stress, anxiety, and burnout can be difficult to manage. Showing off your employees in their own words can be a great way to demonstrate that your organization values mental health. Ask employees how they maintain balance in their lives or what advice they have for those having trouble balancing work/life commitments. Sharing these stories puts a personal touch on the conversation and allows your staff to feel genuinely connected. At the same time, it also serves as a powerful reminder that your organization prioritizes mental health and is dedicated to creating a supportive work environment. Your employee spotlights can be featured on social media or other platforms such as blog posts or company websites to help you create visibility for your values. Showing your employees in their own words can also help boost morale, demonstrate that you are listening to employees and create a more engaging corporate culture.
"Empowering your employees to prioritize their mental health is not only the right thing to do, but it's also good for business. As the American Psychology Association notes, just three hours of Mental Health Awareness Training (MHAT) for leaders can lead to improved attitudes and motivation around mental health promotion in the workplace. One strategy for showing your employer brand's commitment to mental health is to equip leaders, managers, and every employee with the language, training, and education needed to discuss mental health awareness. Creating an environment of inclusivity, flexibility, and empathy and helping leadership understand the causes of workplace stress is another crucial step. By providing leaders with the tools to facilitate conversations and leading by example, you can help reduce the stigma around mental health and create a workplace that prioritizes the well-being of all employees."
Creating your brand’s own mental health social media campaign is one way to support this critical aspect of our lives, but smaller businesses with fewer resources to do so can still advocate through allyship. Choosing one annual mental health campaign to participate in can help bring some limited awareness, but in reality we face mental health challenges 365 days a year. Find as many great mental health initiatives as you can and plot them into your social media schedule so you’re keeping the topic top-of-mind with your followers. If there’s a significant gap between official campaigns, plan mental-health focused posts to share. Show followers that you’re invested in mental health advocacy every single day and not occasionally hopping on a bandwagon to boost your reputation.
Hosting a live Q&A with a mental health professional can help destigmatize mental health challenges in the workplace. By opening up a dialogue about mental health and encouraging employees to ask questions and seek support, you are creating a culture of openness and acceptance around mental health issues. Employees (and literally anyone) who may not have the opportunity or courage to ask questions in person can participate from the comfort of their own homes. All in all, a great way to show that you are invested in creating a supportive work culture and are taking proactive steps to support your employees' mental health and well-being.
I recommend transparently showcasing your organization's investment in employees. For example, do you offer a wellness stipend to which someone can expense mental health services, or perhaps you offer a paid annual subscription to a mental health app? Has your company increased their investment in insurance-related services? Do they offer specialized wellness sessions? Candidates and employees want to know whats in it for them, with specific clarity around what the organization values, what *exactly* they offer, how much (a dollar amount) is being invested and how often.
If there is one thing that has become abundantly clear over the last three years is that employees with flexible working arrangements are happier, more productive and mentally healthier than their full-time in-office counterparts. It's gone so far as many employees choosing to quit rather than subject themselves to full-time in-office work. So if you're really looking to show off how much you prioritize the mental well-being of your employees, tie it to your flexible work initiatives and get it through your social media channels. That will do a lot more than showing of your mental well-being webinars.
Highlight your company culture: Share photos or videos that showcase your company culture and the ways you support employees' mental health. For example, if your company is hosting a large event, post photos of the wellness rooms you've created for neurodiverse attendees so they can get away without having to "go away" from the event action. Share stories of how your team members prioritize their mental health during the workday, with their permission, of course. Expressing a commitment to prioritizing mental health and well-being for employees is a great start. Still, it's important to take tangible action to prove that you and your team are actively implementing measures to support this commitment. Words alone are not enough to show your dedication to mental health; you must back them up with action.
There's no better way to show your support for mental well-being than by promoting local experts in the field. You may work with your marketing team to feature a different mental health professional each week throughout the month. This could take an interesting angle in showcasing the work of practitioners, coaches, and others who specialize in various areas of mental health. This strategy also doubles as a form of community outreach as you'll collaborate with local health professionals to raise awareness for the cause. Besides endorsing the need for mental wellness, promoting local practitioners adds a sense of altruism to your brand image. Your posts say you care about others in your community, which speaks of the invisible values your company holds. These are just a few of the benefits your company can reap by helping dispel the stigmas against mental health.
In 2023, all branding, including employer branding, should create an emotional connection. To demonstrate your commitment to employee mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month, share a video that tells the story of an employee who suffered a loss and how your company empowered them through the difficult time. Show how the company provided access to resources like an EAP, Telehealth though the company’s insurance plan, an onsite gym, a caring leader who checked in regularly, and a mental health app like Calm. By sharing a real person's story, the viewer can relate more easily and understand the benefits of working for the company. While this video demonstrates the company's focus on mental health, it also as a bonus highlights the total compensation and strong company culture.
I suggest highlighting our employee assistance programme (EAP) as one easy way to demonstrate our commitment to employee mental health on social media. We may show our dedication to fostering a friendly and caring work environment by educating others about our EAP and how it helps employees manage mental health issues. In order to draw attention to our EAP during Mental Health Awareness Month, my former employer and I developed a social media campaign. We showed the advantages the programme had given the staff through personal accounts from those who had used it. The success of this programme demonstrated how seriously we take employee mental health.
Social media can also be used to educate people about mental health. I believe you can share posts that provide information about common mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as tips for dealing with them. This can help to minimize stigma and encourage employees to seek assistance when necessary.
Employers can use their social media to updraft important information about mental health topics. Some examples of this type of content include reliable, high-quality articles or infographics about mental health, as well as tips for how to manage stress and anxiety. If your company has employee resources for professional help, you can also updraft those. Sharing this content can help a company demonstrate its own commitment to the public while simultaneously providing information about valuable resources to their team. The most important thing is that any information you share is well-vetted and accurate.
Recognizing employee mental health milestones, in my opinion, is an excellent method for displaying an employer brand's commitment to employee mental health. Employees who have achieved mental health goals or overcome mental health challenges might be highlighted in posts created by the organization. The posts can include information about the employee's accomplishments and how the business assisted them in their mental health journey. Recognizing employee mental health achievements demonstrates that the employer brand understands the value of mental health and is committed to honoring their employees' successes. Celebrating employee mental health accomplishments can also assist to eliminate the stigma associated with workplace mental health difficulties. The employer brand can help to build a culture of openness and support for mental health difficulties by showcasing mental health success stories.
In general, the more people talk about something then the more airplay it receives. During Mental Health Awareness Month, or any other time where we're trying to shine a light on something of extreme importance, it is important to just talk about it openly so others can see. By having everyone talk about Mental Health Awareness Month, people will understand that they aren't alone, that there's help available, and that it's okay to talk about these things. Also, it will show customers, employees, and even potential employees and customers that you are aware of the importance of these topics and will do what you can to support them.
One effective tip to show on social media that your employer brand prioritizes employee mental health is to create social media posts that specifically highlight your employee assistance programs. These posts could provide information on the types of services available through the EAP, such as counseling, therapy, or financial planning, and emphasize how these resources can support employees' mental health and well-being. You could also share real-life stories or testimonials from employees who have used your EAP and experienced positive outcomes. This could include quotes from employees who found the EAP helpful, or brief videos of employees sharing their personal experiences with the program.
In my opinion, the most effective way for a business to show they care about their employees' mental health is through mental health surveys. The organization can write posts emphasizing the significance of mental health surveys and how they can assist in identifying areas where the organization can strengthen mental health support. The posts can urge staff to take part in mental health surveys and explain how the data will be used to improve mental health services. By conducting mental health surveys, the employer brand demonstrates its commitment to listening to their employees' feedback and applying it to improve mental health assistance in the workplace. Mental health surveys can also help organizations establish focused mental health support programs by providing useful insights into employees' mental health issues. The employer brand indicates they care about mental health by posting mental health survey results.