Mental Health at Work: 25 Company Activities You Can Start Today

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but changing the stigma around mental health requires year-round advocacy. That being said, dedicated months (like May) or days (like World Mental Health Awareness Day in October) are an easy way to spur conversation around mental health in environments where there may be silence.

As someone who is vocal about my own struggles with mental health, I was honored to help plan a Mental Health Week at PFL to tie in with the monthly theme. For those inspired to do this at their own offices, you can drive impactful awareness around mental health without much overhead or effort. All of our activities required less than an hour of planning, occurred during our lunch hour, and cost PFL around $300 total.

​Each day centered around one of 6 key elements for personal mental wellness. Below are simple ideas you can put into practice at work today, organized into five of those themes (the sixth is quality sleep, which is arguably the most important element). I’ve bolded the activities we planned for PFL’s Mental Health Week, although many of the ideas are existing initiatives.
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Physical Activity

1. Spearhead a 30-day plank challenge with your peers.
2. Educate your office on the nearest stair routes to cut down on taking the elevator.
3. Hold a standing meeting (no, literally - make everyone stand up).
4. Organize a “Ride Your Bike to Work” day.
5. Invite colleagues to take a weekly walk at lunchtime.

Meaning and Purpose

1. Put out an “affirmation jar” where employees can write down compliments for their peers. Read during company meetings or post on a bulletin board.
2. Create a shout-outs channel on your workplace Slack or chat tool.
3. Organize a service day or philanthropy committee.
4. Pair up newer and more seasoned employees for weekly mentorship meetings.
5. Host monthly lunch and learns with members of different departments.
6. Launch a sustainability committee to encourage composting and recycling. (Bonus points if you switch your paper plates, forks etc to biodegradable materials!)

Stress Management

1. Host a corporate yoga or meditation coach. (Shout out to Here Meditation Indy for joining us at PFL!)
2. Provide printed info sheets around different insurance options for counseling.
3. Mandate a “no meeting day” to give employees time to catch up or work on bigger projects.
4. Install or purchase desk lights or signage to indicate when a team member needs to focus.
5. Set out a box where colleagues can write down negative thoughts or frustrations anonymously. Destroy said box.

Brain-Healthy Eating

1. Encourage office management to sponsor nutritious snacks instead of junk food.
2. Create an incentive program to encourage employees to bring their lunch.
3. Buy branded water bottles to keep your peers hydrated.
4. Organize a healthy-food office pitch in.
5. Sponsor a local community garden or grow herbs and leafy veggies in window boxes.

Social Connection

1. Organize a committee to take new employees out for lunch on their first day.
2. Give employees Starbucks gift cards or host a “Lunch with a New Friend” day, encouraging them to connect with colleagues in another department.
3. Get a team of coworkers together to join a recreational athletic league.
4. Dedicate a wall or intranet page to pictures of employees as children. (Nothing drives social connection like awkward family photos!)

What does your workplace do to promote mental health? Would love to generate more ideas in the comments.