But the world has changed. The prevalence of stress, burnout, and anxiety reached a critical peak during the pandemic. As a CEO in the healthcare and technology space, and now leading Calm, I’ve seen firsthand how the conversation around mental health has fundamentally shifted from a niche concern to a primary business imperative that affects everyone, across industries and cultures.
One study in human resources management states mental health: “is a significant issue for employees, workplaces, and societies, and the fifth most significant cause of disability in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.”[1]
The simple truth is this: supporting mental health at work isn’t just the “right” thing to do—it’s essential for the bottom line. Employees today demand (and deserve!) workplaces that prioritize well-being. For employers looking for actionable, effective strategies, the path forward requires intentionality, transparency, and a renewed focus on quality support.
Moving Beyond the Menu of EAPs
Many large organizations already offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). But often, nobody uses them. Why? Often, there are simply too many choices for people—like 2 million apps in an app store—making it overwhelming to pick which programs actually work.
We need to move past offering a laundry list of benefits just to check a box—one from column A and one from column B. My advice to leaders is to prioritize quality over quantity. Work with your employees to find which programs they truly value and will use.
Furthermore, supporting mental health means recognizing that health is a broad term, and every individual’s journey is different. Mental health support must be tailored to unique needs. For instance, we are seeing increasing requests for programs catering to neurodiversity. Employees who might feel exhausted from “wearing the human suit” all day at work need tailored tools, like an app that helps them decompress. We must acknowledge that not everyone fits into a perfect slot; our solutions should reflect that diversity.
Fostering Genuine Connection and Open Dialogue
One of the biggest losses in the shift to remote and hybrid work environments was the human element. That essential “chit chat” you have while walking into a room or waiting for a meeting to start disappears when Zoom starts precisely on time. These seemingly small conversations are crucial for team bonding and understanding what’s really going on with colleagues.
As stated by psychologist Dr. W.C. Birmingham and colleagues, “We spend nearly a third of every day with our coworkers and supervisors, likely more so than with friends and family members. Thus, our work relationships can significantly contribute to our health and happiness.”[2]
At Ripple Health Group, the company I co-founded, we recognized the need to reintroduce this human element through an intentional hybrid approach. We were founded during Covid, and so the usual methods of onboarding the building culture were skewed. We set up weekly coffee sessions—either over Zoom or “six feet apart” in person—and encouraged employees to “walk in other people’s shoes” and spend time interacting outside their immediate discipline. This exercise in connection and thoughtfulness helps build empathy.
At Calm, this thoughtfulness is simply part of the culture. I remember when I first joined, meetings and internal chats were filled with blue hearts and emotional emojis. There was a natural balance built into the culture of getting things done while being mindful of one another. This acceptance and compassion must be modeled from the top down.
Leading with Transparency and Setting Boundaries
Leadership buy-in is the single most important factor for making mental health programs effective. If employees feel their leader is genuinely committed, they are more likely to utilize resources.
Transparency is foundational here. I now share the same set of performance numbers with my board and my management team—no more cloak and dagger. I communicate the “why” behind our strategy and metrics so employees understand how their work fits in, preventing feelings of confusion and burnout that arise from unclear priorities.
According to McKinsey, “Employees expect their jobs to bring a significant sense of purpose to their lives. Employers need to help meet this need, or be prepared to lose talent to companies that will.”[3]
Furthermore, leaders must actively promote work-life balance by setting clear boundaries and utilizing mental health days. If I send an email on a weekend, I schedule it to send Monday morning, because I know an email from the CEO carries weight, regardless of what I say about expectations. We need to show employees that disconnecting outside of business hours is acceptable and encouraged.
Finally, empathetic leaders understand that what happens outside the office directly impacts performance inside the office. When we developed technology around caregiving at Ripple, we were reacting to the fact that caregivers often experience serious mental health struggles—a problem amplified when in-person support wasn’t possible during COVID. Being thoughtful about addressing employee burdens, whether it’s caregiving stress, long commutes, or financial stress, goes a long way toward increasing productivity.
The truth is, mental health affects all of us. By focusing on quality, tailored benefits, encouraging genuine dialogue, and leading with transparency and empathy, employers can create a truly supportive environment where mental health is prioritized as highly as physical health—they are intrinsically tied together. It’s time we acknowledge this urgency and work intentionally to keep everyone’s mental batteries charged.
[1] Afaf Khalid and Jawad Syed, “Mental health and well-being at work: A systematic review of literare and directions for future research,” Human Resource Management Review, Volume 34, Issue 1, 2024, 100998, ISSN 1053-4822, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2023.100998.
[2] WC Birmingham et al., “Social Connections in the Workplace.” American Journal of Health Promotion. 2024;38(6):886-891. doi:10.1177/08901171241255204b.
[3] Naina Dhingra et al., “Help Your Employees Find Purpose — or Watch Them Leave,” McKinsey & Company, April 5, 2021, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/help-your-employees-find-purpose-or-watch-them-leave?utm_source=chatgpt.com
