Your how-to: Developing strategic mental health messaging from leadership
Developing strategic mental health messaging from leadership refers to the methodical planning and communication from the management or executive level with a focus on promoting, supporting, and acknowledging mental health in the workplace.
The aim of this strategy is to create an open, supportive culture where mental health is valued equally to physical health. This can involve sharing messages from leadership about endorsing workplace policies advocating mental wellbeing, or providing resources and learning opportunities addressing mental health directly.
In Australia, this would align your business with the 'Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces: National Guide', a standard known for its best practice advice on promoting good mental health. Such strategic messaging may prove vital, especially given the evidence of high levels of stress and mental health concerns in Australian workplaces.
It is therefore the systematic endeavour of creating, promoting, and instilling core values, beliefs and attitudes about mental health into the organisational culture, and consistently communicating these through various channels from the top level of an organisation.
Step by step instructions
Understanding Current Position: Before implementing strategic mental health messaging, it is critical to understand the current state of mental health within your organisation. Conduct an audit or survey to identify areas of concern, existing initiatives, and possible barriers to mental health promotion. Review the mental health policies already in place and evaluate their effectiveness.
Develop a Strategic Plan: Next, create the plan encompassing the vision, mission, and objectives. This plan should highlight the approach for improving mental health, the roles of different individuals in the company, and the resources committed for implementation.
Align with Australian Standards: Ensure your mental health messaging aligns with the 'Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces: National Guide'. This could involve the modification or update of your workplace policies, the incorporation of mental health guidelines and their consistent application across the organisation.
Plan for Dissemination: Decide how you will disseminate this messaging. It could be through emails, meetings, posters, newsletters, or training sessions. Make sure these messages come from leadership but are also echoed throughout the company.
Leadership Commitment: Secure commitment by leadership to make mental health a priority within your organisation – this includes the CEO, board members, and management. Develop a business case illustrating the absence cost, productivity loss related to mental health issues, and the benefits of a mentally healthy workplace.
Consultation and Collaboration: Consult and collaborate with stakeholders including staff, unions, HR, legal, and health & safety representatives. Their insights can help shape your strategy and they can become your allies in its implementation.
Draft Key Messages: Draft strong, positive, and empathetic messages that promote mental health awareness and the importance of support. Remember, messaging should always contribute to the breaking down of mental health stigma and not inadvertently reinforce it.
Implement Training Programs: Where necessary, implement relevant training programmes for your staff. This could range from awareness and education programs, to training for management, to specialised programs for mental health first first-aiders.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
A significant pitfall of mental health messaging within an organisation is potentialignorance of cultural sensitivities or lack of cultural understanding. Keep in mind that different cultures perceive and approach mental health differently and any messaging should respect and acknowledge these differences; failing to do so may lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
If a message is not communicated effectively or is misunderstood, it may do more harm than good. Ensure the message is clear, concise, and easily understandable, to prevent miscommunication and ensure that business leaders are correctly interpreting and supporting the messages conveyed.
Business leaders should ensure their messages are in line with both the Mental Health Act 2014 of Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986. Moreover, taking into account the health and safety standards under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, keeps your business compliant, avoiding legal repercussions.
Mental health is a diverse field that includes various conditions that affect different people in disparate ways. Avoid blanket statements or one-size-fits-all messages, instead personalise your message where possible. Different mental health issues command distinct attention and approaches, and oversimplification can lead to harmful stigmatising or trivialising these issues.
A pitfall to avoid is inadvertently causing fear or panic through messaging. The language used should be supportive, positive and reassuring, avoiding overly alarming terms or phrases. It should promote encouragement and understanding, not fear.
Not including accessible resources or professional support in messages can leave employees feeling lost or anxious about seeking help. Ensure that employees are not only made aware of mental health but also provided the necessary resources to help them manage any mental health issues.