Employers can appoint mental-health champions, use engaging communications and schedule learning sessions with their employee assistance programs to provide support during Blue Monday and year-round, says Chris Gory, employee benefits advisor at Orchard Benefits.
It’s important to appoint a mental-health champion within the company to promote the EAP, notes Gory. Additionally, employers can create informative communication around mental-health resources that can be circulated around Blue Monday. For example, Gory has a document he updates yearly before Blue Monday with government mental-health resources and circulates it to clients so they can share it with employees.
“The week of Blue Monday, I have three virtual sessions being held by EAP providers for companies I work with. So employers can reach out to whoever their EAP provider is and [ask to] do a learning session for the staff and record it so people can refer to it down the road. It just helps to remove the stigma, and it jogs people’s memory that they have this resource available.”
Read: Employers can use ‘Blue Monday’ to reset workplace mental-health strategies
Since the coronavirus pandemic, many employers have increased the number of different mental-health practitioners that are covered under their benefits plan, but many employees might not realize this, he adds. “Before it was just psychology, but now you’re seeing [coverage for] psychotherapy, family counselling, and providers have really expanded their list. It’s a win-win for employers to share what’s included in their benefits. Employees aren’t using their coverage to the fullest and [it’s often because] they don’t know it’s there.”
When considering the incorporation of artificial intelligence into mental-health support, Gory says it could be a slippery slope, but if AI is used, it should be to supplement and not replace existing supports.
Beyond Blue Monday, it’s important to check in with employees year-round, he adds, noting he works with a lot of technology companies who still have many employees working from home. “One of the things about returning to the office is you have the support of your peers, whereas when you’re home, you might not always get that. Just make the time . . . to check in. There are many platforms out there where [employers] can actively engage with their employees.”
Recent studies have also shown an increase in mental-health claims for employees aged 18 to 34, so it’s important not to overlook the younger generation of workers, says Gory. Employers can develop targeted communications for the different generations to make sure each one feels seen and supported.
Read: Beyond Blue Monday: Employee mental health a year-round priority, says expert