At the U.S. Department of Labor, we’re committed to helping America’s employees and employers work together to promote workplace well-being — especially considering the challenges of the past two years. Fostering supportive, mental-health-friendly workplaces is always a priority for us, but we’re paying special attention to these issues throughout May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.
For workers with mental health conditions, and in fact all workers, the key to success is an inclusive, supportive workplace — and all people, at all levels of an organization, have an important role to play. That’s the message at the heart of the Campaign for Disability Employment’s “Mental Health at Work: What Can I Do?” public awareness campaign. This campaign centers on a public service announcement featuring four individuals (not actors): a CEO, manager, co-worker and an employee who identifies as having a mental health condition.
During production, we had the chance to sit down with each of these individuals to explore their thoughts on the characteristics of a mental-health-friendly workplace. Here’s what they had to say: