7 Amazing Ways To Celebrate World Mental Health Day 2024 at Work

During the last 18 months, we've learned much about ourselves and each other. The whole world is interconnected, regardless of differences or distances. Everyone faces challenges and privileges that are unique to them. Whether it was supporting the country during a healthcare crisis to creating a new functional hybrid workforce, we have learned to live and work in a new world.

Organized by the World Federation For Mental Health (WFMH), World Mental Health Day will be celebrated on the 10th of October 2022. This year’s theme is 'Make Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority'. It provides a unique and special opportunity to drive home the message of mental wellness for the workforce.

What is Mental Health?

Mental well-being refers to a state of being emotionally, psychologically, and socially healthy. The way we react to life is affected by how we think, feel, and act. Socially and professionally, a person cannot be fit without it. As World Health Organization (WHO) says: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
Mental health is the ability to realize one's potential, cope with everyday stresses, work productively, and contribute to society.

Why Is Mental Health Important In the Workplace?

In today’s hustle and bustle world, it has been challenging for the workforce to balance their work and remain mentally fit. A lack of time for friends and family, professional upskilling, and health commitments can negatively impact an employee.

"Your mental health is everything – prioritize it. Make the time as your life depends on it because it does." — Mel Robbins

A person who has so much extra baggage every day at work might find it difficult to stay connected to the workplace and feel happy.

According to a report from Stress.com-

• People suffering from work stress in the US stand at 83%.
• US businesses concur lose around $300 billion annually due to mental health concerns.
• Globally, stress is causing every day around one million workers to miss work.
• Across the US, only 43% of employees believe that their employers care about their work-life balance.
• Due to absenteeism caused by depression, businesses lose up to $51 billion in costs.
• Every year, workplace stress causes 120,000 deaths and costs $190 billion in healthcare costs.

A workforce is functional due to the interrelation between different elements, of which employees and employers are at the base. If these statistics do not ring the alarm bell, I don't know what will.

It's not just the employees who are facing the adverse effects of mental strain on their health. So when employees suffer from mental health issues at work, the businesses suffer too.

Mental Health negatively impacts businesses by having an effect on-

• Productivity and work performance .
• Employee Engagement at work.
• Workplace Communication.
• Physical capability and daily functioning.

A person suffering from depression may be unable to perform physical tasks at work.

• Mental health reduces cognitive performance by about 35% of the time.
• Only 57% of employees who report moderate depression and 40% of those who report severe depression receive treatment to control depression symptoms.

7 Activities To Do In Your Workplace On World Mental Health Day 2024

This October, embrace mental health and shatter the stigma around it by celebrating World Mental Health Day on October 10. Whether you run your own business or work as part of a team, you must prioritize mental health, without any excuses.

Here are the 7 ideas for you on how to engage your employees and push the mental health parameters in your Workplace-

1. Mental Health Seminar

Organizing a mental health seminar can be a great way to make the event count. Invite a famous psychologist or a mental health coach. Encourage all your workforce to attend the seminar.

When a wellness leader shows direction on a fitness regimen, it will motivate and encourage more employees to take charge of their mental wellbeing. Incentivize those employees who are willing to come forward and share their experiences with mental wellness. For employees who are reluctant to speak publicly about their mental health struggles, keep things confidential and respectful.

2. Office Outing

It can be a great opportunity to take your employees for a corporate lunch. You can turn this day into an employee team-building activity and a relaxing day for everyone.

HRs can also organize a fun event for employees. Employees usually appreciate it when the management takes proactive steps to engage them in fun team activities. It can be anything from office quizzes to cultural events.

3. Community Work

World mental health day also can be a great day to go out and contribute to a social cause. It will not just be an activity to tick off from your “social wellness” initiative. You will be able to connect with issues that impact society, which will help to develop gratitude and humility among the workers. It will also be a great CSR activity, that can help businesses gain more credibility and trust in the market.

For example, you can take the office team to teach a community school in your locality or drive up to your local beach and clean up plastics. Such initiatives make employees proud to be associated with an organization and eventually positively influence the retention figures.

4. Recognition Ceremony

Recognize your workforce by felicitating the standout performers from your organization. It will be a great occasion to make your workforce feel appreciated and welcomed.

Vantage Circle provides an Employee Rewards platform to recognize the workforce. You can also leverage platforms like Vantage Fit, which clubs employee rewards with corporate wellness. It provides monetary and non-monetary rewards to the employees who complete workplace wellness challenges . The non-monetary rewards are given to e-wallets of each employee as vantage points. Employees can redeem these points into a number of gift cards.

When you include a reward system to your workplace culture , it makes employees feel more welcoming and happy.

5. Office Sports Event

Organizing office sports events can be a great way to utilize the day to celebrate World Mental Health Day. Employees who are associated with health and sports are more physically and mentally fit. It also promotes team bonding and a healthy work environment .

Organize outdoor team events like football, cricket, badminton, etc. Arrange for online gaming or esports events for those who are into online gaming. Ultimately, creating a welcoming environment is the goal.

Suggested Read: Importance of Sports and Wellness In The Workplace

6. Movie Screening

What better way to celebrate World Mental Health than arranging a surprise plan to screen a movie in the office! Plan beforehand what kind of movie you would want to screen. Depending on the genre, it could be anything from a lighthearted comedy to a motivational work or biography.

Make the ambiance cozy and arrange for snacks with comfortable couches in the wellness room. It will help to break the monotony of work as well as the wall of ice which impacts workplace relationships and a worker’s mental health.

7. Brew Bondings

In the UK, it is joked that a good cup of tea will cure many of the world's ills. However, science doesn't necessarily support the idea, the act of intentionally connecting with a colleague over a brew, real or virtual, can be incredibly restorative. Building a positive mental health culture begins with cultivating these informal social connections.

Mental Wellness With Vantage Fit

Vantage Fit is an AI-powered corporate wellness platform, that helps millions of employees achieve their fitness goals. It has various unique features to help you achieve your mindfulness goals. With features of guided meditation sessions and logging the yoga or meditation activity in the app, you can keep a track of your mental health progress.

Final Words

Mental Health stats are out there for everyone to see. We’re progressively getting more stressed and burned out at work. There’s too much work, and time is short. Work-related stress can have horrific human and financial consequences when things get out of control. In the context of a global economy that has resulted in decreased job security and financial instability, rising levels of work stress have been closely connected.

Thus employees have to take a proactive approach while dealing with mental health concerns. So, what can be done? First of all, an employer must focus on improving its relations with its employees. Often, workers feel their employers expect too much of them and can't discuss their work-related stress in the office. Only by a consolidated effort from employers and employees, we can overcome workplace concerns around mental health.