Skip to main content

Table 5 An example of learned and change objectives that have been translated into practical strategies for mental health

From: Healthy and productive workers: using intervention mapping to design a workplace health promotion and wellness program to improve presenteeism

Objectives

What needs to be done/what needs to be changed?

Methods

How can these objectives be accomplished?

Practical Applications

Best practices and initial ideas

Big ideas There are no wrong answers – think creatively!

What would be the ideal activities to implement if there were no limitations (e.g. structural, organizational, financial, etc.)?

How can we implement this in our workplace and when could we implement?

If it’s already being done today, how can we improve it?

Employee

 

Inform all employees about mental health issues

Explain/de-mystify stigma around mental health

Build confidence to to discuss mental health problems

Demonstrate that leadership will be supportive of mental health issues

Educate employees on when to seek help and find resources

Use structured multi-pronged educational interventions

Use The Source

Include applicable information in the new employee manual

Have lunch and learns with content expert guest speakers such as psychologists and behavioural therapists

Add MH destigmatization training for employees

Have leadership communicate with employees regularly (scheduled and anticipated) using multi-media and personal stories-clear simple caring messages

Identify and train respected peers respected peers to act as health ambassadors

Use Health Coaching/nurse or lay health worker, have onsite health centre

Use The Source website to provide interactive cognitively based self help programs, chat room and access to consult with professional/personal coach available for tailoring program

Create forums where employees can talk about mental health and receive input from other employees around de-stigmatizing mental health

Have on-demand mental health resources available such as an online depression centre geared towards low to moderate risk employees.

Leverage the mental health portal that we are building for clients (communication, education, blogging) – in final draft currently (ensure alignment and integration); social networking may be part of this portal as a later component

Focus groups – provide opportunities to incorporate as advanced/progressive element of training program. Include managers and employees. Pilot as an add-on

Disability expert could facilitate using their Mental Health First Aid however; may eliminate some of the sensitivities by having outside body facilitate

Identify leader with a personal story (could be internal leader, or could be an external leader/athlete/person in the public eye)

Part of program: extend manager training to employees. Use source to tell peoples’ stories; use to change behaviours/attitudes; leverage the Quick Polls to include questions around mental health to increase awareness

  1. MH mental health