A Wellness Roadmap for Mental Health in the Workplace

Here’s some resources for creating a mentally healthy workplace:

• Sleep pods and nap rooms are trending. More and more workplaces like Google, Ben & Jerry’s and Facebook have created sleep areas for employees to rest their eyes. According to sleep.org, a nap—no longer than 30 minutes —helps your body recharge and refocus on the task at hand. Night-shift napping has been shown to decrease sleepiness on the job and improve workplace outcomes. Plus, taking 1–2 naps a week can reduce your chances of stroke, heart attack, or heart failure.

• Massage therapy has shown to decrease anxiety and depression while boosting feel-good hormones like oxytocin. Companies are offering massage sessions at work or providing wellness stipends to cover the costs. Media agency Stella Rising, named one of Ad Age’s 2022 Best Places to Work, offers allowances for massages and meal kits.

• Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts and brings with it many health benefits. Back in 2016, Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio started reimbursing employees for half the cost of $1,000 meditation lessons. Since then, Dalio continues to push the practice and believes it contributed to his success.

• Yoga has become standard fitness for many companies as yoga helps increase energy, productivity and morale while reducing stress and absenteeism. Companies such as Nike, HBO, Forbes, and Apple all offer on-site yoga classes for their employees

• Healthy food options like sushi and fresh juices are popping up in workplaces all over the country. This not only helps employees maintain health weights, but it decreases healthcare costs for employers. Kaiser Permanente doesn’t stock sugar-sweetened drinks, while WeWork doesn’t serve meat at any of its foodservice outlets. And sweets are discreetly displayed.