Napoleon (Wolf Steel Ltd.) is rolling out a mental-health toolkit this week after seeking feedback from employees.
The toolkit is the latest initiative in the global fireplace, grills, HVAC and manufacturing company’s mental-health journey, which started in 2016 with the launch of its workplace wellness program which focuses on four pillars of health including work/life balance, mental health, physical fitness and nutrition.
The focus on mental health began with training sessions for senior executives and leadership. “They first went through a training session in person and we provided them with webinars and did surveys to get their feedback,” says Stacey Mitchell, the organization’s benefits specialist.
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This was followed by a training seminar specifically for managers, which Napoleon used to learn where employees felt there were gaps and how they could be filled. They wanted answers on how to address mental-health issues and how to have those conversations with their teams. They were also interested in stress management tools and resources, supportive coaching, team-building exercises and understanding about their roles and responsibilities as leaders in supporting their team members’ overall mental well-being.
“Then the fifth option they gave us was [the idea for] a toolkit, so [we] thought, well, a toolkit can really be built with all of these categories in mind,” says Lisa Reid, wellness program coordinator at Napoleon.
The toolkit is electronic and includes articles and activity-based videos. The company’s goal is to provide resources that employees can use at any time to help them with any mental-health issue they’re facing. “It sounds like they’re hungry for it,” says Reid.
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Further plans include weekly followups with employees who may be suffering from depression or struggling in the workplace, and offering recommendations through the toolkit. “If you’re dealing with somebody who is dealing with stress in the workplace, for example, [we can share] things that can help them deal with it,” says Mitchell.