Stigma to Support: Reframing Mental Health in the Workplace

Stigma to Support: Reframing Mental Health in the Workplace

By ​Laurel Buck

A Real-Time Reflection on Mental Health Perceptions

During the April CDI Virtual Network Meeting, ahead of Mental Health Awareness Month, CDI delivered its newly revamped “Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health in the Workplace” training. Designed to be highly interactive, the session engaged nearly 150 business professionals, inviting them to enrich the conversation by sharing their own reflections and perceptions. It opened with two simple yet powerful questions: 

• What words would you use to describe your personal view of mental health? 

• What words would you use to depict how others view mental health? ​

What We Say vs. What We Think Others Say

As responses came in, two distinct word clouds began to form. The first, reflecting participants’ personal views, showed tones of understanding and acceptance, highlighting diagnoses, self-identification, and compassionate, factual language. 

In contrast, the second cloud, which captured perceptions of how others view mental health, painted a more troubling picture. Words like crazy, weak, and stigma dominated, with deeper analysis revealing others like dangerous, different, unwell, abnormal, and deficiency. 
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This simple but revealing exercise laid bare an ongoing reality: stigma around mental health is deeply rooted in our culture, and it shows up in our workplaces. 

The Business Case for Mental Health Support

A recent report from AllOne Health found that nearly 1 in 5 U.S. workers rate their mental health as fair or poor. This has sparked a growing demand for effective, accessible mental health support in the workplace. Compounding the urgency, employees facing mental health challenges report four times more unplanned absences than their peers, costing employers an estimated $47.6 billion in lost productivity each year. Perhaps most compelling: 92% of employees across demographics say it’s very or somewhat important to work for an organization that prioritizes mental health. ​

Turning Insight into Action

So, the pressing question for employers becomes: How can we better support employees impacted by mental health conditions while actively working to reshape the narrative? 
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One cost-effective solution is to integrate an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) alongside your existing benefits package. An EAP, as defined by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), is “a work-based intervention designed to help employees resolve personal problems that may affect their job performance.” ​

Reducing Stigma Through Visible Support

Offering an EAP is more than a benefit--it’s a signal. It tells employees that seeking help is supported and encouraged, not stigmatized. EAPs offer confidential counseling and support services that create a safe, nonjudgmental space for employees to address mental health concerns. When paired with broader mental health training, awareness campaigns, and leadership engagement, EAPs help normalize the conversation and empower employees to take proactive steps toward wellness. 
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Flexible access—via phone, video, in-person, or virtual options—further reduces logistical barriers, making support more reachable for all. And when EAPs are embedded as a core part of workplace culture, they help shift organizational norms toward treating mental health with the same seriousness and compassion as physical health—free from shame or silence. ​

Ready to Lead the Conversation?

Interested in bringing “Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health in the Workplace” to your organization as part of your wellness strategy? Contact Meaghan Walls, CEO. ​