In an effort to promote mental health awareness and support among its employees, Novartis has taken a proactive approach by training over 1,000 of them as Mental Health First Aiders. However, despite the enthusiasm for the training, uptake of the program has been low. To understand why this is the case, a team of researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 2,400 Novartis employees in the UK, Ireland, India, and Malaysia.
The researchers designed six different ways of framing the program to address common barriers such as privacy concerns and usage concerns. They found that employees were more likely to sign up for the program when they were presented with a story of a colleague benefiting from it rather than when anonymity was emphasized.
These findings suggest that fostering a supportive culture where employees feel comfortable sharing their mental health challenges at work can help encourage more individuals to make use of existing mental health resources. By highlighting personal experiences and showcasing the positive impact of the program, companies like Novartis can help break down barriers and improve access to mental health support for their employees.
