10 ways to show your employees you truly value mental health

Offering mental health benefits is a powerful first step in supporting employee wellbeing. But if you want those benefits to make a meaningful difference, they need to be backed by something deeper: a workplace culture that truly prioritizes mental health.

In fact, nine in ten U.S. employees say they want their employer to prioritize emotional and mental wellbeing—and 78% believe a healthier workplace culture would be more beneficial than wellness apps alone.

That’s why we talked with mental health experts, vendors, and HR leaders at companies like Walmart and Delta to dig into what a truly supportive culture looks like. Their insights reveal a powerful truth: mental health isn’t just about access to care. It’s about what happens every day at work.

These ten strategies can help you create a culture that supports your team’s mental health—and shows them you mean it.

Normalize the conversation around mental health in the workplace

Talk about mental health like any other health issue

If you want to encourage employees to prioritize their mental health, you need to normalize it first—and that starts by talking about it openly and clearly.

Across the board, every expert we spoke to emphasized the importance of framing mental health as just another part of overall health. And just like physical health, you don’t want to wait until something’s wrong to take action.

“Everyone needs to take steps to protect this part of your health even if you are experiencing no issues today,” says Kelley Elliott, VP, HR Services and Total Rewards at Delta and former Nava Advisor. “Think of it as a preventive measure to staying healthy!”

Importantly, normalizing mental health doesn’t mean employees will start disclosing personal experiences—and they don’t have to. What matters is that they know they can, without fear of judgment or repercussions.

Be clear and unapologetic in your messaging

Unfortunately, stigma still surrounds mental health—and that stigma thrives in vagueness. The best way to counter it? Speak clearly and directly.

“There still remains a stigma where a good many people are embarrassed to access mental health care,” says Marcus Osborne, Former SVP of Walmart Health and Nava Advisor. “HR leaders (and executives overall) have a huge role to play in reducing that stigma and reducing the friction to employees accessing mental and behavioral health services.”

Kara Lulley from telemedicine provider First Stop Health pointed to two truths that should guide all your messaging:

• Every human experiences a mental health event at some point in their lives.
• Experiencing a low point of mental health does not negate the value and contributions an employee brings to their job.

“At the end of the day,” Lulley says, “companies who effectively communicate these two truths will have the best chance of delivering meaningful mental health support to their workforces.”

Encourage leadership to speak openly

Talking about mental health isn’t always easy—but leadership has the power to make it easier. When executives and managers model openness, it signals safety for everyone else.

“I’ve seen incredible engagement on mental health-related initiatives when executive sponsors publicly share their experiences. Doing this can be vulnerable and scary, but it can break down stigmas and create a safer space for people to thrive,” says Amber Lyon from Spring Health.

The impact is clear: 86% of employees believe supervisors should help create comfort around discussing mental health—yet only 28% feel safe sharing concerns with senior leadership. This gap underscores the need for leaders to speak openly and model support.

This kind of leadership doesn’t have to be dramatic—it just has to be authentic. It might look like:

• Sharing personal experiences (when comfortable): Executives who talk about their own mental health challenges or how company benefits supported them help reduce stigma and build trust.
• Being transparent about self-care: Mention taking a mental health day, talk about handling stress in meetings, or normalize stepping away when needed.
• Attending and engaging in mental health training: Show commitment by participating in emotional wellbeing workshops or encouraging team-wide learning through programs like those offered by Mind Share Partners.
• Using inclusive and thoughtful language: Frame conversations around “emotional wellbeing” to create a welcoming, less clinical entry point for all employees.

Build a culture of trust

Create space for open communication

Psychological safety isn’t built overnight, but it’s essential to a culture that supports mental health. It means that your employees feel safe with their teams—to share feedback, admit when they’re struggling, and trust that their manager has their back.

“In a time where our work and our personal lives are more intertwined than ever,” writes Ilana Mauskopf, Director of People and Talent Ops at Nava, “establishing trust and building an environment where employees feel they can take risks and be vulnerable is crucial.”

Host regular social events

Feeling socially disconnected at work can negatively impact mental wellbeing. Hosting team happy hours, virtual events, or company-wide retreats helps employees feel less alone and more connected to their coworkers.

Even a quick Zoom coffee break can reinforce a sense of community.

The value of workplace friendships goes far beyond boosting morale. According to a Gallup report, employees who have a best friend at work are significantly more likely to be engaged, produce higher-quality work, and report greater overall well-being.

Make recognition a habit

In healthy teams, recognition is both casual and constant. Employees feel more motivated and secure when they know their work is seen—especially in a fast-paced environment where wins can get lost in the shuffle.

Encouraging peer-to-peer kudos helps build mutual appreciation and psychological safety. At Nava, we use a company-wide Slack channel to spotlight great work across teams, which not only lifts people up, but also improves transparency.

When people feel appreciated, they’re more likely to go above and beyond—and feel good while doing it.

Let managers lead with empathy

Sometimes, life happens. And good managers will understand that.

Empathy in action might look like letting employees manage their schedules for mid-day appointments, especially since many mental health providers only offer sessions during working hours.

As Osborne emphasizes, allowing employees to access care during the workday sends a strong message: “Your mental health is serious, and we take it seriously.”

The easier you make it to get care, the more likely employees are to seek it—and feel supported while doing so.

Support employee self-care in practice

Employees bring more than just their job skills to work—they bring the full weight of their lives, including financial stress, physical health needs, family responsibilities, and the need for rest. Supporting mental health means addressing all of these interconnected factors. By investing in financial wellness, encouraging physical activity, and making time off a real priority, you reduce the burden on your team and help build a culture grounded in holistic wellbeing.

Encourage time off—and mean it

In 2023, 62% of U.S. employees with paid time off didn’t use their full allotment, leaving about a third of it unused. Among them, 5.5% didn’t take any vacation at all. Although the average PTO policy in 2022 offered 15 days off, workers typically used only 10.

Even when employees take time off, many feel compelled to stay connected. A 2023 survey found that 54% worked during their vacations, and 86% reported receiving work-related calls or messages while away.

This has to change.

Make it abundantly clear that unplugging is encouraged, not penalized. Give employees the space to step away — and don’t message them while they’re off, if you can help it.

Here are a few ways companies can lead by example:

• Set a minimum vacation policy to ensure employees use a baseline amount of PTO each year.
• Offer dedicated mental health days that normalize rest as a proactive part of wellbeing.
• Encourage managers to model time off by publicly sharing when they’re unplugging and truly disconnecting.
• Disable non-urgent notifications or use auto-responders to redirect messages when someone is on leave.
• Celebrate time off usage just like you would other milestones — normalize and reward taking breaks.

Small shifts like these send a clear message: rest is respected, expected, and necessary.

Support financial wellness

Finances are a leading source of stress for most Americans—73% rank it as their #1 concern. For employees, this can directly affect their mental health, especially when care costs like therapy can range from $50 to $150 per session.

Here are a few ways to reduce financial stress:

• Offer 401(k) plans with employer matching to help employees build long-term financial security.
• Provide access to Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to offset out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
• Implement student loan repayment or tuition assistance benefits to ease the burden of education-related debt.
• Share financial literacy resources or financial wellness benefits that empower employees to make informed decisions.

Encourage physical wellness

While not a replacement for therapy, physical activity plays a critical role in mental clarity, stress relief, and emotional regulation.

Employers can promote movement and wellbeing with:

• Gym or fitness reimbursements to make physical activity more accessible
• Company fitness challenges that build camaraderie while promoting health
• Flexible schedules that allow time for mid-day walks or movement breaks
• On-site or virtual wellness programs that incorporate exercise, stretching, or mindfulness

By supporting employees both financially and physically, you reduce stressors that contribute to burnout — and help create a culture of holistic wellbeing.

Mental health culture is built one step at a time

It’s one thing to offer mental health benefits — but those benefits only go so far in supporting a healthy headspace. To create a truly holistic plan that works for your people and your business, you need to embed mental health into your culture.

That means being intentional. It means modeling the behavior you want to see. And it means showing, in small and consistent ways, that your employees are supported.

A culture that prioritizes mental health won’t be built overnight. But every action you take sends a message. And when that message is clear and consistent, employees won’t just hear it—they’ll feel it.