Championing Mental Health in Community Social Services: How to Get Buy-In from Leadership

In this article, you’ll explore strategies for employees and supervisors in the Community Social Services sector to advocate for mental health initiatives and gain support from senior leaders and decision-makers.

Creating psychologically safe and healthy workplaces is a shared responsibility, but it can sometimes feel overwhelming or frustrating to champion mental health without support. While we often look to managers, employers, or human resources professionals to lead these efforts, anyone—regardless of their position—can play a pivotal role in fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes mental well-being.

Here are four strategies to increase the likelihood of mental health initiatives gaining traction in your organization:

Caring about the wellbeing of employees is the right thing to do, and most employers genuinely do care and want to help. But they may not know where to start or they could be struggling to find the time and resources needed to prioritize wellbeing in the workplace.

When advocating for mental health initiatives, connect the dots for leadership; be explicit about how the initiative can benefit the company or organization.

When employees feel cared for and appreciated, there is often less:

Reflect on how the mental health initiatives can address some of the challenges your manager or employer experiences daily, such as scheduling, recruitment, or supervision. Explain this connection when advocating for supports for mental health in the workplace.

Employers often feel that they need to start from scratch. That’s a barrier because it feels time-consuming, and they may worry about saying or doing something wrong if they implement something new. Many workplaces are already leading by example and there are exciting things happening in every sector. Can you talk to friends or colleagues to learn about what has been tried in similar workplaces? Creative ideas and successes are often promoted in industry newsletters and on social media. Pay attention to initiatives that might appeal to your employer and bring them forward when you’re able to do so. Sometimes a little healthy competition goes a long way!

If you’re presenting something completely new for your workplace, your dream scenario might feel too ambitious to your employer due to cost or time requirements. Don’t despair! Instead, be prepared. Think of your dream scenario as the “gold medal” for your workplace. Also consider what would “silver” would look like, if you had to soften timelines or priorities. What would the “bronze” option look like? Bronze might be as simple as sharing a list of community resources on the bulletin board in your break room and with your pay stubs. If you can get approval for your bronze plan, you have a starting point to build momentum towards gold. Perhaps silver includes some free training (such as resources and webinars) for the go-to individuals in your workplace.

This is where commitment is key, and progress can fade away. It can be difficult to stay motivated as you aim for gold. Notice, highlight, and celebrate even the smallest successes in the right direction. Stay in touch with your values and remind yourself why it is important to have a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.

Bumps along the road and unexpected challenges are all normal parts of change. Your persistence can pay off but be sure to take breaks and look out for your own well-being as well. Don’t forget about the supports and resources available to you, such as BounceBack®.