Written by Rachael Steimnitz, NAMI-NYC’s Director of Workplace Mental Health, and Alayna Auerbach, NAMI-NYC’s Manager of Workplace Mental Health
Employers are increasingly focusing on workplace mental health with a Mercer 2023 study showing 94% of large employers enhanced their coverage for mental health care, increased support, or put in place new programs or systems in the last three years. While the need for workplace mental health has been around since the start of the workplace, myriad factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and what the American Psychological Association calls a “combination of era-defining crises,” have elevated the importance of workplace mental health from a nice-to-have to an imperative.
The World Health Organization, U.S. Surgeon General, Health Action Alliance, and many other organizations have responded with best practices for employers to promote mental health in the workplace and support employees living with mental health challenges. Several employers are making impactful changes, such as incorporating mental health in onboarding, hosting “Ask Me Anything” sessions, and training managers. Implementing these changes in modern day workplaces is complex and challenging. Employers are often left navigating this uncharted territory on their own and re-inventing the wheel. No employer has it all figured out, nor is workplace mental health an issue one employer or industry can solve alone. Collaboration is required.
All teach, all listen
What if instead of employers doing it alone, they could do it together? Since 2022, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC), in partnership with 20+ industry-leading employers, have come together to take collective action in NAMI-NYC’s Workplace Mental Health Collaborative (the Collaborative). Employers of all sizes and industries in the Collaborative are committed to promoting good mental health practices and reducing stigma towards mental health challenges in their companies and greater communities. Employer representatives across Human Resources, Benefits, Wellbeing, and more join monthly sessions to share and learn about what each other are doing for workplace mental health, ask questions, cross-pollinate ideas, and group problem solve. The sessions are modeled after the evidence-based Project ECHO learning framework, based on the concept that everyone has something they can teach others, and everyone has something they can listen to and learn from. For example, employer A developed manager mental health training but is not sure how to evaluate employee assistance programs (EAPs). In contrast, employer B recently switched to a new EAP and is starting to develop manager mental health training. Traditionally, it is unlikely these two employers would interact. In the Collaborative’s continuous loop of learning, these employers share their experiences and ask specific questions to the benefit of everyone involved.
Facilitate and make it tactical
A challenge of employer coalitions and roundtables is that the sessions often turn into status reports instead of fostering constructive learning, discussion, and action to advance the field. The Collaborative uses two strategies to address this. First, NAMI-NYC’s Workplace Mental Health Initiative facilitates the Collaborative and serves as a trusted thought partner. NAMI-NYC uses a public health approach to enable changes at the organizational, interpersonal, and individual level. Each session, NAMI-NYC shares the latest research, tools, and resources related to a specific workplace mental health topic and facilitates the conversation between employers as they share their experiences and ask questions. Secondly, the Collaborative is tactical. Employers acknowledge the importance of workplace mental health best practices but knowing how to operationalize the practices is not always clear. In 2024, NAMI-NYC structured the Collaborative to break down the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being into specific guidance to meaningfully apply actions in different workplaces and achieve impact. Topics include workplace mental health measurement, communications, access to care and benefits, belonging, burnout, and more. For instance, one recent area of focus is increasing utilization of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), whether by bringing in onsite counselors, moving to a next generation EAP, or integrating with health plans to increase the volume of in-network providers. The Collaborative goes beyond best practices and gets into how employers can address common challenges across each area of work.
Mutual vulnerability opens doors
The idea for the Collaborative originated when several financial services firms reached out to NAMI-NYC for training and support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We noticed everyone was experiencing the same types of challenges supporting their employees’ mental health. We wondered if our employer partners would openly share their experiences with each other, despite concerns around competition and the stigma often associated with mental illness. To our excitement, the conversations were candid. Industry-leading employers leaned into mutual vulnerability and the idea that not having it all figured out is okay. This trust created relationships between the employers as well, enabling them to continue conversations outside of sessions. The cooperative nature of the discussions came with an unintended, yet exciting, result: competitive advantage. Although companies may be reticent to share details about their mental health initiatives, it allows them the competitive advantage of hearing what others at doing. NAMI-NYC also hosts several live, virtual training courses where all employees from all companies – not just Human Resources – attend together. In 2024, NAMI-NYC is delivering a five-part, evidence-based training series, Beyond Burnout, where thousands of employees come together to learn a skill-based model of resilience. The training series has 95% satisfaction rates, and the chat is active. The sessions create space for individual employees to be vulnerable and supported, realizing other people are going through similar challenges. One participant said, “This is a great session to not be afraid to ask questions.” Another shared, “I just returned from medical leave. This is awesome to hear we have our employer supporting our mental health.”
The case for collective action
The World Economic Forum says, “Through collective action, we can tap into a collective intelligence that is far greater than the sum of its parts.” The Collaborative unites individuals, organizations, and communities towards the common goal of a world where all employees can experience optimal mental health. The 20+ employers in the Collaborative are more powerful together because their diverse expertise leads to innovative problem solving. One employer explained, “Through the Collaborative, we’ve discovered unique approaches to mental health support and innovative tools and resources. This diversity of perspectives has enriched our discussions and encouraged us to think outside the box.” The Collaborative catalyzes change by encouraging more employers to get involved, as shown by the Collaborative’s doubling in size in the last year. The American Psychological Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey reports that 92% of workers said it is very or somewhat important to them to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being. We are honored to see our employer partners collaborate to respond to this need for their own employees and the community.
Reach out to NAMI-NYC to join the Collaborative.