How Employers Can Actively Support Mental Health Awareness

BY / GERRY TSCHOPP EXPERIAN

We are fortunate the mere mention of “mental health” doesn’t carry the stigma it once did.

Historically, we haven’t talked openly about mental health issues. And more so, if someone was dealing with mental health issues, we did not have an environment where people could be open about it.

Happily, that is changing: Talk of mental health is no longer taboo.

Through COVID-19, we saw that employees and, more generally, the public were emotionally affected by the stress brought on by the global pandemic. Their emotional well-being could be challenged from any number of perspectives, including financial security, living situations, remote work and physical health, among others.

These aren’t new concepts or challenges, but they are now at the forefront of employee wellness programs, creating an opportunity for companies to do the right thing. What we have seen at many companies are more flexible, hybrid work environments: an employee-centric approach, giving them flexibility to work in ways and manners that can optimize their performance. This also has spawned greater empathy and sincere caring for employees’ mental well-being from managers and leaders.

To be sure, this is not entirely altruistic. This environment of supporting the mental well-being of employees also has tangible business benefits. When our employees are healthy in mind and body, they are more productive. They think better. And that is also better for the company. In fact, one study indicates that when your brain power is positive, your brain works 31% better.

When our employees are healthy in mind and body, they are more productive. They think better.

Gerry Tschopp heads global external communications at Experian, and is its chief communications officer, North America. He is a member of the USC Annenberg Center for PR Board of Advisors.

Sounds like a win for the employee. And a win for the employer.

As an example, at Experian, we have initiated a companywide effort to address mental health. This is championed by our CFO, Lloyd Pitchford, who serves as the global executive sponsor and advocate for Mental Health.

There are multiple layers to the program:

• Mental Health First Aiders: We established a program to train employees (volunteers) who could serve as Mental

Health First Aiders. We started rolling out this in 2022 and now have over 400 people registered to become professionally trained volunteers. Their roles are to support Experian colleagues — and even their friends and family — who are experiencing mental-health illness or distress and connect them with support.

• We launched our #WholeMe: Your Mind

Matters campaign to all employees during

Mental Health Awareness month. This effort was designed to break the stigma surrounding mental health challenges, and a way to lean into the “it’s ok not to be ok” mantra. This global campaign has been shortlisted as a finalist in the global Gartner Communications Awards 2022 in the category Excellence in ESG,

Sustainability and DEI Communications. • ASPIRE, Experian’s Employee Resource

Group (ERG), established Mindful

Meditation Mondays, 30-minute meditation sessions hosted by internal employees who are licensed yoga instructors. The sessions are frequented by hundreds of people and the comments are overwhelmingly positive.

I personally participated in the MHFA training, and am now officially a Mental Health First Aider. I’m finding it rewarding to be a part of this community and I’m grateful my company has invested in these kinds of opportunities.

Regardless of how you or your company are stepping up and leaning in, it’s important as leaders, communicators, strategists, managers and humans that we give mental health the respect and attention it deserves. ▪