Mental Health in the Workplace Summit 2023: Key Takeaways

We are delighted to share some of the key takeaways from the second edition of the Mental Health in the Workplace Summit, ignited by the Center for Responsible Business & Leadership with the support of Abreu Advogados , Grupo Ageas Portugal , bp , EDP , Grupo BEL , Monliz ? Portugal e VdA Vieira de Almeida .

The presentations provided valuable insights for the 400 participants joining the Summit.

During the two days of the event, the members of the Pact for Mental Health in Organizations shared their knowledge, experience, and reflections about the five main work topics of the Pact:

• Group 1 (powered by Grupo Ageas Portugal, águas de Portugal, Ascendi, CTT, and RoundB) topic was Developing Well-being and Mental Health at Work Action Plans. Their presentation highlighted the importance of developing an action plan aligned with the maturity level of the subject in each organization that covers prevention, intervention, and returning to work.
• Group 2 (powered by Capgemini, EDP, Fidelidade, Grupo BEL, and Cofidis) topic was Leadership Endorsement of Mental Health and its relevance in eliminating stigma. They provided actionable strategies that reinforced the crucial role that leaders play inside the workplace as they set the tone for the organization's culture.
• Group 3 (powered by Abreu Advogados, Monliz, Santander, and The Square) topic was Empower employees to manage their mental health and support each other. Obstacles such as the lack of leadership skills related to managing well-being inside a team context, the non-existence of a speak-up culture, low levels of psychological safety, and the persistence of reactive behavior when dealing with our health conditions are still common in most organizations.
• Group 4 (powered by BP, Diaverum, Multicare, and Pfizer) topic was to Refer employees to mental health tools and the support they need when dealing with poor mental health. Addressing poor mental health is crucial for creating a supportive work environment and a group that covers the prevention, intervention, and reintegration needs of employees. A good communication plan is critical when we cover topics such as mental health and well-being. Addressing these subjects in an appealing way, with a user-friendly and direct approach, is a must if we want to make a difference in our employees' lives.
• Group 5 (powered by Bound, Johnson & Johnson, Ren, and VdA) topic was Measuring the impact of mental health initiatives. The group highlighted that evaluating the effectiveness of mental health initiatives is crucial for ensuring that resources are being allocated effectively and that employees benefit from these programs. Various tools and models for measuring impact were also presented to reinforce the necessity to combine well-being and business metrics.

We also welcomed Katia Almeida , Tiago Pereira and Marta Rebelo , our keynote speakers, who inspired us with their talks on embracing fear and emotions, psychological safety, and the journey we must pursue from stigma to self-esteem.

The Summit provided valuable insights and actionable strategies for creating healthy workplaces. It emphasized the importance of a multifaceted approach involving leadership endorsement, employee training, timely interventions, and measurement of impact.

However, many challenges and barriers remain in the future landscape of mental health in the workplace:

• Despite progress, there is still a stigma surrounding mental health in many workplaces.
• Organizations will need to navigate how to support mental health when employees have a mix of in-office and remote work.
• Embedding mental health promotion into the organizational culture can be challenging, but it is crucial for creating an inclusive environment.
• Looking beyond the walls of the organization is still a challenge. A large proportion of mental health conditions develop during childhood and early adulthood, and individual characteristics, such as genetics and hereditary factors, play a critical role.

Adapting to these challenges will require multiple stakeholders to work together to change how we think about work. The call to action remains; it is time to renew our commitment and face 2024 with optimism and resilience.

José Sintra , Head of People Strategy at VdA Vieira de Almeida