Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 Top Tips

This year the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is anxiety. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting millions of people around the world. An estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety (World Health Organisation 2022).

Businesses and organisations have an important role to play in breaking down stigma, encouraging an open dialogue about mental health, and providing training and support. To help you prepare your campaign, here are our top 10 tips.

1. Start early:

Plan your Mental Health Awareness Week initiatives well in advance. This will give you plenty of time to prepare and promote your activities.

2. Involve employees:

Get your employees involved in planning and promoting your Mental Health Awareness Week initiatives. This will help to create a sense of ownership and engagement.

3. Focus on anxiety:

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 is anxiety, so make sure that your initiatives are focused on this issue.

4. Provide resources:

Give your employees access to resources that support their mental health. This could include links to online resources, mental health apps and support groups.

5. Host virtual events:

Bring people together to share experiences and learn new skills. Consider webinars, workshops, or meditation sessions to promote positive mental health.

6. Offer mental health training:

Mental health training for managers and employees can help them recognize signs of poor mental health, and develop positive coping strategies that protect against stress and strain.

7. Share stories:

Stories are powerful ways to breakdown stigma. Encourage your leaders to share how they support their own mental health.

8. Promote self-care:

Encourage employees to prioritise their mental health and practice self-care. This could include promoting healthy habits, such as exercise and meditation, or providing access to mental health resources, such as counselling.

9. Get bodies moving:

Physical activity supports mental health. Organise a walking challenge or lunchtime yoga classes to get bodies moving.

10. Evaluate your initiatives:

When Mental Health Awareness Week is over, evaluate the success of your initiatives. This will help you to identify what worked well and what could be improved for next year.

Conclusion

By following these ten top tips, you can go on to create a Mental Health Awareness Week programme that your people will want to engage with. And remember, organisations that successfully create resilient, thriving cultures integrate wellbeing into every day of the year. So, get ready to build on the momentum and keep things going right throughout the year.