One in nearly 7 people experiences mental health challenges at work. And that’s just those we know of. Mental health is more widely acknowledged and discussed at work than ever before, but it can still feel like a stigma to some, and it keeps people from getting the help they need. 

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we’ve signed up for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)’s “StigmaFree Company initiative” to ensure our programs help break the stigma and can best support our Rollers around the world.

NAMI defines a StigmaFree Company as “a company with a culture of openness, acceptance, and understanding about employees’ overall health and well-being.” It also outlines four focus areas for companies to consider. 

Create company policies regarding mental health. 

We ensure our company benefits support Rollers’ mental and physical health all year long. Our Employee Assistance Program through Uprise Health provides confidential support to Rollers’ and their families. Rollers get three 30-minute coaching sessions and three 60-minute counseling sessions for anxiety, grief, or stress. Our insurance plans, which we cover 100% for full-time employees in qualifying regions, also provide access to mental health care. Additionally, our flexible work environment supports Rollers in finding the care they need when they need it – for themselves or their family. 

Speaking of families, our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team is launching later this year, which supports new parents returning to work. This program includes mental health support for new parents jumping back into their NextRoll role after parental leave. 

Show support to employees. 

Our RollAble Employee Resource Group (ERG) creates a safe space for Rollers who experience or are impacted by mental or physical health challenges through awareness, community, and integration through company benefits and policies. This is a Roller-led program, so employees learn and grow from one another through Roller-chosen programming. The group sends monthly newsletters to the company that shares the latest mental health-focused events and keeps mental health in mind with Rollers.

We also partner with Calm and Modern Health to provide 24/7 mental health resources to Rollers around the world. Rollers find recorded meditations, relaxing music, and sleep routines through free access to the Calm app. And through Modern Health, Rollers receive six sessions with a mental health, career, or financial coach, six therapy sessions, unlimited live group support sessions, guided meditations, and ongoing well-being check-ins. 

Decrease stigma in the workplace.

Our RollAble group regularly hosts events promoting positive mental health habits and creates space for Rollers to discuss mental health impacts further to remove the stigma around the subject at work. We also host companywide Roller Recharge Days and Half-Days, dedicated paid time off for mental health and relaxation. Our HR platform also reminds Rollers about their PTO balance so they know how much additional paid time off they have to disconnect from work and recharge throughout the year. 

We’ve listed many benefits above, but it only matters if Rollers are utilizing them. So our Benefits team hosts regular trainings and sends out regular health-focused emails to loop Rollers into how to use these programs and the physical and mental health benefits they offer.

Provide management training.

Managers are encouraged to participate and have their teams participate in our regular mental-health-focused events. Rollers in our New Manager Development Program also take sessions on “Managing Diverse Teams Inclusively” and “Understanding Gender Identity,” which support positive mental health experiences for people on their teams. We also host a Resilience Workshop for managers at NextRoll.

Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to remind Rollers that mental health is important to discuss at work and in life. Being a StigmaFree Company means we’re supporting Rollers when they need it most, and we’re dedicated to being that ally and that place of comfort and safety regarding mental health. 

Learn more about our benefits and our culture.