10th October – Show your support for World Mental Health Day 2024 

Every year on October 10, people mobilise across the globe to mark World Mental Health Day. The 2024 theme is ‘It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’.  Addressing employee wellbeing is key to being a responsible and sustainable business. Wylde is taking the opportunity to encourage all organisations to use the date as a platform to talk about mental health and put it at the heart of their ESG strategy.  

World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992 and has been instrumental in raising awareness, dispelling myths and starting much needed conversations. This year’s theme underscores the critical importance of workplace wellbeing and advocates for fostering environments where mental health is prioritised, protected, and promoted.  

Work can support our mental health by giving us a sense of purpose, boosting our self-esteem and giving access to a supportive community. Yet according to the Health and Safety Executive, there were an estimated 875,000 cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2022/23. Every employee deserves to feel valued and supported and it is imperative that employers acknowledge their duty of care. 

Championing positive mental health is not only a moral obligation, but it makes business sense in minimising absence, boosting productivity and ensuring that all staff can fulfil their potential. The starting point is to create a culture that encourages an open dialogue around al health issues where people feel they will be listened to if they need support. Challenging stigma and addressing issues early is in everyone’s interest and creates a culture which allows everyone to thrive. 

Here are our top tips for employers:  

• Establish a baseline by assessing your current approach to mental health in the workplace and put strategies in place to improve performance
• Make mental health conversations the norm across your business by running workshops and encouraging people to discuss key topics and share experiences. 
• Share resources and signpost people to support organisations.
• Train Mental Health First Aiders, ensuring they are a diverse group that your employees feel comfortable approaching.
• Ensure that business leaders lead by example by talking openly about mental health. Perhaps they could write a blog.
• Have an open-door policy and culture that gives people the confidence to seek advice and support.
• Give people a choice of spaces to inhabit in the workplace. Be aware of neurodiversity and understand that one size doesn’t fit all. Create a calm inviting space that employees can go to take break, destress and unwind.
• Train managers to engage with their team, to understand their issues and help them access help. 
• Revisit policies and procedures regularly so they remain relevant and use employer assistance programme data to make improvements. Keep all your wellbeing and mental health resources in one place so that they are easy to access.

Every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem but many struggle to access the support they need. Use World Mental Health Day to put people first and shine a spotlight on workplace wellbeing. Be it improving working conditions, revisiting complaint procedures or investing in better stakeholder engagement, there are many ways in which businesses can better address mental health concerns. 

A good starting point is to talk to seek advice from specialist organisations. These include The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, a leading mental health and wellbeing charity with more than 50 years of experience in providing vital support services. One important element is the charity’s comprehensive Wellbeing in the Workplace programme which offers tailored solutions and resources to promote psychological resilience and foster a culture of support and understanding. 

At Wylde Connections we help employers develop robust sustainability strategies which include a focus on positive social impact. As part of that, we encourage all our clients to prioritise employee wellbeing as a key component of being an ethical and responsible business.  Talk to our team today about how we can support you on your sustainability journey. 

To learn more about World Mental Health Day visit World Mental Health Day – October 10th .  

Campaign Hashtags and Acronyms:

#WFMHWorldMentalHealthDay #WMHD2024 #WorkplaceMentalHealth  

#PrioritizeMentalHealthintheWorkplace #MentalHealthintheWorkplace  

#WorldMentalHealthDay2024 #WorkplaceWellness