Colleagues’ stories boost mental health support usage at work — study
BASEL, SWITZERLAND — A new study has found that employees are more likely to use company-provided mental health resources when they hear stories of colleagues accessing such support.
The research, conducted by behavioral scientists at Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation Novartis, suggests fostering an open culture around mental health challenges could significantly increase utilization of existing wellness programs.
The randomized controlled trial involved over 2,400 employees across the United Kingdom, Ireland, India, and Malaysia. Participants were shown different scenarios framed around Novartis’ peer mental health support program, with some reading accounts of colleagues using the services.
Employees who read a story about their colleagues making use of mental health services were more interested in learning about such programs. https://t.co/xrE6iBcu0g
— Harvard Business Review (@HarvardBiz) April 23, 2024
Overcoming privacy and usage concerns
The experiment featured several scenarios to see what would encourage employees to utilize Novartis’ Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA).
Researchers varied the framing around privacy and whether or not employees were exposed to stories of colleagues dealing with mental health issues, ranging from mild work-related stress to severe personal crises.
One story shared by a participant dealing with mild anxiety and stress at work resulted in an 8% increase in the likelihood of other employees signing up for MHFA. A more severe story involving coping with an abusive relationship saw a 6.6% increase. While the numbers seem small, on the scale of Novartis’s workforce, these could lead to nearly 2,000 more employees engaging with mental health services.
In contrast, simply emphasizing the anonymity of the program did not boost participation, suggesting deeper stigma may persist around seeking mental health assistance at work.
The findings align with prior research indicating employees often assume their struggles are not significant enough to warrant professional support. As one employee who had been struggling with symptoms of burnout reflected: “I almost scheduled an appointment about a dozen times. But no, in the end I never went. I just wasn’t sure if my problems were big enough.”
Creating a company support culture with mental health programs
While most companies have invested in mental health initiatives like counseling benefits and wellness apps, the study reveals the importance of open dialogue to maximize their impact.
“One way to encourage employees to make use of existing mental health resources is by creating a support culture in which sharing about each other’s mental health challenges at work — no matter how small or large they are — is celebrated rather than judged,” the researchers concluded in a Harvard Business Review piece.
By showcasing real-life stories of colleagues, organizations can demystify mental health support and encourage more employees to take advantage of available resources.
