Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been an occasion for raising awareness about the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions and the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and wellness.
In this Playlist, we spotlight several resources to help members address a range of mental health related topics in the workplace.
Reframing Failure
Reframing Failure: Fostering Growth and Success in the Workplace explores the interaction between failure, fear, and organizational dynamics, particularly within the context of businesses striving for innovation and sustainable growth. This resource offers insight and practical guidance, emphasizing the damaging effects of a fear-based culture on employee morale, productivity, and overall organizational success. Advocating for a shift towards viewing failure as an opportunity for learning and growth, this resource empowers leaders to create environments of psychological safety, encourage experimentation, and invest in their employees’ development. By embracing failure, fostering open communication, and nurturing their teams, businesses can not only mitigate the negative impacts of fear but also craft a culture of resilience, innovation, and long-term success.
Managing Mega-Threats in the Workplace
For many, “professionalism” requires a level of emotional restraint, particularly when strong emotions are provoked by incidents that are not directly related to our work lives. But what happens when current events make it challenging to “leave our feelings at home?” In this resource, we discus mega-threats, their adverse effects on individuals in the workplace, and guidance for people leaders to help alleviate the negative effects of mega-threats for those who experience them and their coworkers.
Mental Health in the Brewing Industry
In 2022 nearly 50 million Americans were experiencing mental illness. It can affect our families, friends, and coworkers without us even realizing it. Fortunately, there are resources available and ways that we can support our team members that may be struggling. In Mental Health in the Brewing Industry, we identify specific mental health challenges common in the brewing community, the impact of alcohol on mental health, signs that support may be needed, strategies for offering help, legal considerations for employers, and resources that are available to those that need them.
The Importance of Self Care
Self-care and open discussions about mental health are vital for a culture of workplace wellbeing—yet they often present significant challenges in today’s society.
Acknowledging and addressing one’s mental health needs is essential for maintaining balance and resilience in the face of life and workplace stressors. However, societal stigmas and misconceptions surrounding mental illness can create barriers to seeking help.
In The Things We Don’t Say, a presentation from the 2020 online Craft Brewers Conference, Jonny Boucher and Joel Frieders address stigma and teach individuals how to understand and support proactive mental health care for others. Overcoming these challenges requires a shift in cultural attitudes towards mental health awareness, and promoting empathy, understanding, and acceptance.
Encouraging individuals to prioritize self-care practices and seek support when needed fosters a safer workplace culture and reduces the likelihood of burnout. The Importance of Self-Care is an interactive activity for teams to learn practical strategies to prioritize self-care in personal and professional settings. By breaking the silence, we can create spaces where individuals feel safe to share their experiences, seek support, and ultimately thrive in their personal and professional lives.
Encouraging Responsible Consumption
Encouraging responsible consumption of alcohol among employees is paramount to fostering a culture of moderation and safety. Recognizing problem drinking and substance use, promoting awareness of alcohol’s effects, emphasizing the importance of responsible drinking, and making inclusive efforts to support sobriety allows breweries to prioritize the well-being of their team members while also setting a positive example for their customers. Implementing educational programs, providing resources for support, and fostering an open dialogue about alcohol use can empower employees to make informed decisions about their consumption.
Furthermore, establishing policies for on-premise alcohol consumption that encourage moderation demonstrates a commitment to the health and safety of your team.
Supporting Mental Health for People Leaders
Supporting the mental health of people leaders is essential for cultivating a resilient and effective leadership team. Leaders often face significant stressors stemming from their responsibilities, and competing demands. Additionally, their role often requires them to absorb and manage the emotional wellbeing of their team members while addressing organizational objectives. Mental health challenges in people leaders can arise from the cumulative impact of these stressors, leading to burnout, anxiety, or depression. Are You Okay? Navigating Burnout, Secondary Trauma, and Mega-Threats as Agents of Culture Change will help you identify workplace stressors and strategies to bounce back from challenges.
Providing support for people leaders involves creating a culture that prioritizes open communication, offering resources for stress management and resilience building, and encouraging self-care practices. In Known Hazards for People Leaders, we address challenges and offer practical solutions. Viewers can also complete The Foundation and Navigating Known Hazards worksheets to personalize their approach.
Brewers Association Affinity Program Benefits
Looking for additional support for yourself or your team? The Brewers Association (BA) offers several affinity program discounts and third-party resources to meet your needs. All BA members also have free access to Zywave, which includes tools to develop a mental health-friendly company culture and guidance on the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Qualifying members can also utilize the new Infinite Ingredient Wellbeing Portal, developed for those struggling with substance use disorder or other mental health challenges.
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