On Oct. 10, 2024, World Mental Health Day, the Health Action Alliance hosted the 2024 Mental Health Equity at Work Summit. The live virtual event brought business leaders and experts together to address pressing mental health challenges faced by frontline workers and explore solutions for improving mental health equity in the workplace. The event also included a live demo of the new Love, Your Mind Employer Guide and Communications Toolkit.

Read on for key highlights from the event, and watch the full recording below.

Opening Remarks: Mental Health Challenges Facing Frontline Workers

Amy Small, Managing Director of the Health Action Alliance, began the event by detailing the unique mental health challenges facing frontline workers, from health care and customer service to utilities and emergency response. 

Frontline workers are the backbone of many industries, performing indispensable tasks that keep businesses running smoothly. These employees often work long hours in stressful conditions, such as severe weather or public health crises, while still managing personal stress. Whether handling financial and social pressures or responding to emergencies, frontline workers frequently navigate high-stakes situations.

Frontline workers experience unique stressors, including:

• Increased mental health challenges: Research shows that frontline workers face depression rates 61% higher than their non-frontline counterparts. Anxiety, stress, and burnout are common.
• Financial strain: 33% of frontline workers report high levels of financial stress, exacerbating their mental health concerns.
• Barriers to accessing support: Frontline workers are 30% less likely to take advantage of workplace mental health benefits due to irregular hours, stigma, or lack of awareness of available resources.

Panel: The Frontline Experience: Addressing the Modern Challenges Facing Hourly Workers

Amy Small led a conversation with Chris Forbeck, Director of Total Rewards at Northwestern Energy, and Xiomara Arroyo, Senior Vice President and Market Manager at PNC Bank. They discussed the challenges frontline workers face accessing mental health resources and shared strategies for improving engagement and support.

Key Insights

Panelists highlighted the importance of meeting workers where they are and finding creative ways to engage them in wellness programs.

• Unique challenges for frontline workers: Many aren't sitting at desks throughout the day and often miss out on important communications about wellness programs. Ensuring that employees know about and have access to resources is crucial for improving their engagement in wellness programs.
• Financial strain adds to mental health stress: Frontline employees often face additional personal and financial pressures that compound their mental health challenges.

Northwestern Energy’s Approach

At Northwestern Energy, they address the challenges frontline workers face by focusing on creative communication and engagement strategies.

• Meeting employees where they are: Rather than relying solely on email, Northwestern uses in-person opportunities like morning stretches, tailboards, and safety moments to share information about wellness initiatives.
• Incentivizing participation: Northwestern offers financial incentives, such as reduced medical premiums and additional health savings account (HSA) contributions, to encourage participation in wellness programs. These incentives have driven engagement among employees as well astheir spouses, who can access these resources.

Insight Spotlight: 

PNC Bank’s Strategy for Supporting Hourly Workers

PNC Bank’s holistic approach to supporting their hourly workers, particularly those in high-stress roles, focuses on creating easy access to a wide range of support services that employees and their families can use.

• Flexible and accessible mental health support: PNC’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides employees and their families with up to seven counseling sessions via phone, video, or in person. This flexibility allows employees to choose the option that best fits their needs.
• Well-being coaching and financial wellness: PNC offers weekly coaching sessions to help employees with everything from financial planning to work-related stress. They also provide access to a caregiving concierge service called Wealthy, which assists employees in managing the logistics of caregiving for themselves or family members.

Insight Spotlight:

Takeaway Tactics

• Meet workers where they are: Traditional communication methods like emails might not reach all employees, especially frontline workers. Find creative ways to engage employees through in-person conversations or on-the-job moments during their workday.
• Incentivize participation: Financial incentives like reduced premiums or HSA contributions can encourage employees and their families to engage with wellness programs.
• Offer flexible access to mental health resources: Provide multiple ways for employees to access mental health support, including virtual, telephone, and in-person options. Also,  consider offering services that support all aspects of employees' well-being, including mental health, financial wellness, and caregiving responsibilities.
• Promote community involvement through paid volunteer time: Encourage employees to engage with their communities by offering paid time off for volunteering. This strengthens your organization's culture and allows employees to connect with causes they care about, enhancing their sense of purpose and well-being.
• Extend benefits to families: Offering wellness and support programs to employees as well astheir spouses and dependents can significantly increase the reach and effectiveness of these resources. 

Keynote Conversation: Canva’s Holistic Approach to Workplace Mental Health

Dr. Mark Rapaport, CEO of Huntsman Mental Health Institute, hosted a discussion with Nikko Blodgett, U.S. and EU Vibe Lead at Canva, on the company's innovative approach to supporting employee well-being.

Key Insights

Canva has taken a holistic and flexible approach to workplace mental health, recognizing that well-being is highly personal and multifaceted. Some initiatives include:

• Holistic well-being programs: Canva offers many well-being initiatives, from EAPs to on-site services like massages and self-care activities. The company's Vibe and Thrive reimbursement benefit allows employees to customize their well-being support based on individual needs.
• Flexibility for work-life balance: Canva empowers its teams to design their work schedules based on what suits their teams, families, and themselves. The company supports three work models — hybrid, remote, and in-office — catering to different employee needs.
• Fostering connection through clubs: Canva encourages social connection and collaboration through employee-led clubs, ranging in topics from baking to self-care. These clubs allow employees to connect across regions and roles, fostering a sense of community.

Insight Spotlight

Takeaway Tactics

• Create flexible work environments benefits: Offer hybrid, remote, and in-office options to accommodate personal and professional needs, boosting well-being and job satisfaction.
• Support holistic well-being: Provide EAPs, wellness reimbursements, and self-care programs to address physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Normalize mental health discussions: Regularly host talks and workshops on mental health, mindfulness, and resilience to foster an open, supportive environment.
• Foster community connection: Promote employee-led clubs and social activities, including for remote workers, to build connection and well-being.
• Extend well-being resources to families: Provide well-being resources for employees' families to extend support beyond the workplace.

Love, Your Mind Employer Guide 

Leena Marie Saleh, Content Strategist at Canva, shared a live demonstration of the Love, Your Mind Employer Guide, a new resource for addressing workplace mental health with simple messaging, easy-to-use mental health tools, and customizable Canva templates.

Over 9 in 10 workers expect their employers to help them manage mental health ​challenges. HAA, in partnership with the Ad Council, the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, and Canva, developed this free resource to equip employers to do just that. 

The Love, Your Mind Employer Guide empowers leaders to help their workers recognize their ​emotions, understand how to care for themselves, and find their unique paths ​to mental health.

These resources are fully customizable using Canva, allowing organizations to tailor them to their unique needs. Explore the toolkit today and take the next step in supporting your team’s mental well-being.

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