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W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 4 26 T he workforce is demanding employ- ers take the lead to normalize mental health in the workplace, and leaders of any size organization can create positive culture shifts. Supporting your staff's mental and emotional well-being boosts employee mental health, company morale and your bottom line. The stigma attached to seeking and providing mental health support and treat- ment is thankfully reducing. Here are some ways to make 2024 the year to prioritize mental health at your company. Promote a positive environment Leaders should create a positive, open and respectful environment. As with most initiatives, it starts with a commitment to model this behavior. That means showing care for your team, offering public praise but private criticism, unplugging on your vacation, not sending emails on the weekend and taking care of yourself. If your employees see you burn- ing the candle at both ends, snapping at teammates and not taking care of your own mental health, they will not believe that you take theirs seriously either. Once top leadership is on board, it is time to focus on managers. These are the people who work closely with employees and will be first to identify an issue. Manag- ers should be trained in recognizing when an employee is not well and know how to best respond. Sweetser is proud to offer free Mental Health First Aid training to any organiza- tion looking for their teams to better iden- tify and respond to emerging behavioral health issues. Prevent psychological harm The most impact leadership can have on their team often relies on how they sup- port their staff, not only in terms of work performance but in reducing psychologi- cal stressors. Make sure your staff has well-defined roles and performance expectations. Lack of B Y J A Y N E V A N B R A M E R , S W E E T S E R How to make mental health a workplace priority HealthCareers4ME.com has resources for you. Discover, research, and compare healthcare careers. Ready for a career in healthcare but not sure where to start? P H O T O / S W E E T S E R Jayne Van Bramer is the president and CEO of Sweetser. She can be reached at jvanbramer@sweetser.org H e a lt h C a r e