5 Ways You Can Raise Organizational Awareness of Mental Health

Well-being benefits shouldn’t be a static, once-and-done, set-it-and-forget-it offering.

The World Health Organization’s designation of Thursday, Oct. 10, as World Mental Health Day presents an opportunity for organizations to review their current state and approaches to employee mental health. Mental health is a concern for all employees, not just those with a formal or clinical diagnosis. Stress, family dynamics, chronic medical illness, natural disasters, trauma, grief and many other events that happen in daily lives impact how people manage their mental health — before, during and after the workday.

According to WTW’s 2024 Best Practices in Healthcare Survey, more than half (52%) of employers have conducted or plan to conduct a full quantitative, nonquantitative and operational Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) comparative analysis in 2025. Moreover, the survey found 56% of employers have or plan to evaluate and optimize existing mental health vendor programs next year.

The following are five ways employers can spotlight mental health on — or outside of — World Mental Health Day:

1. Raise awareness. Actively promote mental health awareness and care; use ribbons, fundraisers or other campaigns as an opportunity to bolster awareness. Share information on mental health widely through various modalities or consider guest speakers.
2. Focus on the work/workplace environment. Consider positivity campaigns, acts of kindness, or ways to encourage and develop healthier habits and more empathy toward others. Consider the workplace environment and how mental health connects to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the different ways diverse populations use and/or need mental health services.
3. Arrange a wellness event. Provide information; address stress; hold mindfulness, meditation and/or yoga activities; and offer employees time away from work to take part.
4. Communicate. Renew focus and attention on managers, communicating resources and ways to connect struggling employees to services that may be supportive. Refresh communications to employees about the resources available, especially if benefits, programs or offerings have changed or been enhanced.
5. Address burnout. Adjust the day to address burnout and stress, consider no meeting days or no video days, and consider ways to generally implement or expand flexible work policies. 

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

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