Corporate Leaders and Top Psychologists Share Proven Strategies for Advancing Mental Health Equity in the Workplace

Organizers of National Business Summit on Mental Health Equity launch follow-up guide for companies to form mental health-focused employee resource groups

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At a National Business Summit on Mental Health Equity hosted today, top business leaders and psychologists shared proven strategies to help employers improve mental health for all workers. Coming two weeks after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a framework for workplace mental health and well-being, today's summit was designed for employers to ensure that workers from historically excluded communities and neurodivergent employees are set up to thrive alongside the rest of the workforce. The summit was co-hosted by the Health Action Alliance, the country's largest employer network operating at the intersection of business and public health, and the American Psychological Association.

Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native communities face unique mental health stressors — and cultural stigmas around mental health often prevent them from accessing care, as do women, LGBTQ+ people, refugees and others. Meanwhile, neurodiverse employees, such as people on the Autism spectrum or who have post-traumatic stress or ADHD, may also be able to thrive in the workplace with tailored support from their employers and accommodations to do their jobs.

"Employees need to feel valued, heard and supported by their employers. We know from psychological research that it's critical to involve them in decision-making that affects their work life," said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association. "Employers who hope to succeed in our rapidly evolving workplace must listen to and support a diverse and inclusive workforce."

Summit speakers identified specific mental health benefits companies can offer, provided guidance on creating a workplace environment where employees take advantage of the mental health resources available to them, and discussed how real-world events influence employee needs in mental health and ways employers can support employees in those difficult moments.

Increasingly, companies are also empowering workers to help support one another and advocate for the needs of employees experiencing unique mental health challenges. Mental health employee resource groups (ERGs) — voluntary, official, employee-led associations — contribute to a more open workplace culture that reduces stigma and addresses workers' unique needs. At the summit, organizers released a guide to launching a mental health ERG, available free to all employers at healthaction.org.

"When employers take action to advance mental health equity, they strengthen their entire workplace mental health program," said Stephen Massey, Director of Health Action Alliance, and Co-Founder of Meteorite. "Employees feel more comfortable seeking out the treatment they need. And companies send a powerful message about normalizing the discussion of mental health challenges, which contributes to a more supportive and empowering environment for their entire workforce."

The new guide on forming mental health ERGs is part of a free suite of workplace mental health resources and toolkits for employers produced in partnership between Health Action Alliance, the Ad Council, Mental Health Action Day and One Mind.

The Health Action Alliance is a joint initiative of the Ad Council, CDC Foundation, de Beaumont Foundation, National Safety Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation — in partnership with Meteorite. Our free tools, training and events help employers, large and small, navigate evolving health challenges, improve the health of workers and engage with public health partners to build stronger, healthier communities. Learn more at healthaction.org.

APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 133,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. Our mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. Learn more at www.apa.org.

SOURCE Health Action Alliance