BHP, Clifford Chance, Deloitte, HSBC, Salesforce and Unilever unite to grow workplace mental health
The coalition of global organisations has been created to advance mental health awareness and best practices in the workplace. It will advocate for and accelerate what it believes is critical change for workplace mental health on a global basis.
The Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health, whose founding partners include leaders of BHP, Clifford Chance, Deloitte, HSBC, Salesforce and Unilever, recognise the severity of the mental health crisis facing employees, which has been exacerbated during the course of the pandemic.
Poor mental health can have a wide range of negative effects on employees, which manifests in a loss of employee engagement, customer satisfaction and productivity for businesses. Even before the pandemic, workplace stigma associated with mental health was a challenge for employers and employees alike, according to the Deloitte Global 2020 Millennial Survey. The coalition’s global campaign hopes to drive change in business and society by tackling workplace mental health.
A joint statement from the founding CEOs said: “As we look to rebuild from the Covid-19 pandemic, the business community must prioritise and invest in the mental health of all employees – this is not just a business initiative, but a social imperative that will drive positive and long-lasting effects for society. We invite other leaders of businesses – whether large or small – to join this global movement to advance the desperately needed conversation around creating an open, welcoming, and supportive workplace environment for all when it comes to mental health in the workplace.”
To join the coalition, leaders must sign a pledge and commit to the following actions within their business:
- Develop and deliver an action plan to foster good mental health in the respective organisation;
- Promote an open culture around mental health that aims to eliminate stigma;
- Take proactive steps to develop the culture and ways of working towards creating positive mental health and reducing mental ill-health;
- Empower all employees to manage and prioritise their mental health and support one another;
- Inform employees of available mental health tools and support they need;
- Regularly measure the impact of the efforts, being open about their progress, to influence and inspire change in their organisation and beyond.
The initiative has been backed by the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum and United for Global Mental Health.
Arnaud Bernaert, Head, Shaping the Future of Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum, added: “With more than half of working adults reporting increases in anxiety and decreases in productivity at work in response to Covid-19, coordinated action and public-private partnerships are key to galvanizing action among employers globally to promote wellbeing of their workforces now and in the future."
Find out more about The Global Business Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health.
