Building a Comprehensive Mental Health Strategy for a Global Team

It’s estimated 1 in 4 people suffer from a mental health condition globally. As a founder, crafting a robust mental health strategy for a global team involves thoughtful planning and cultural-competence. Let’s explore methods and tips for promoting well-being, fostering open communication, and providing accessible resources to support your team's mental health needs.

Mental Health on A Worldwide Scale

In addition to regular job stressors, global teams can face unique pain points that can significantly impact mental well-being. Time zone differences, for example, can lead to feelings of isolation or burnout as team members struggle to coordinate meetings and collaborate effectively across different time zones. Language barriers may also contribute to communication challenges and misunderstandings, adding to ambiguity and stress.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is key for all companies, but can become increasingly complex in a global context, as team members juggle varying work schedules, cultural expectations, and personal responsibilities. 

Creating A Strategy 

In response to these challenges, a robust mental health strategy for international teams should prioritize cultural sensitivity and awareness, offering tailored resources and support that accommodate diverse perspectives and needs. 

Begin with cultural awareness 

Start by conducting thorough research into the cultural norms, attitudes, and perceptions related to mental health in the regions where your global team operates. According to Lyra’s 2024 State of the Workforce Mental Health Report, “Employers can mitigate work-related mental health issues by designing a work environment where all members — especially leaders and managers — communicate effectively, understand and honor cultural norms, and nurture relationships with team members in other parts of the world.”

Understand how diversity and inclusion considers different cultural factors. Cultural differences may influence the way mental health issues are perceived, discussed, and addressed within the team. You may consider working with a global EOR provider like Justworks who connect you with in-country resources to better understand cultural nuances. 

Review existing mental health policies and coverage

Evaluate the comprehensiveness and inclusivity of current policies, ensuring they address cultural nuances, accessibility to resources, and support for diverse mental health needs across different regions. Assess the adequacy of mental health coverage in health insurance plans, employee assistance programs (EAPs), and any other benefits. 

It may even be helpful to conduct anonymous surveys to gauge the mental health needs and concerns of your employees. Identifying any gaps or areas for improvement in existing policies and coverage will enable you to tailor your mental health strategy to better meet the needs of your global team. 

Leadership commitment and support

Positive mental health culture in the workplace begins with a top-down approach. In fact,  64% of employees agreed that if employers and managers took actions to alleviate negative conditions in the workplace their mental health would improve. 

Implementing preventive solutions such as recognition/reward systems, flexibility in the workplace, and allowing for remote work plays a crucial role in promoting global mental health among employees and teams.

Leave room for open communication

Open communication fosters transparency, trust, and empathy within the team, enabling effective collaboration and problem-solving related to mental well-being issues. It also allows organizations to gain valuable insights into the diverse cultural perspectives and needs of their global workforce, facilitating the development of tailored mental health initiatives and resources. 

Encouraging open dialogue and active listening promotes a culture of support and understanding, ultimately contributing to improved mental health outcomes for employees across different regions.

Invest in support and education

Implementing mental health awareness training for all team members, offering resources and workshops on stress management, and ensuring access to mental health resources are essential steps in supporting mental health. Regularly evaluate the impact of mental health strategies through data collection, metrics tracking, and employee feedback. Use evaluation results to make adjustments and improvements to the strategy over time.

Justworks Helps Global Teams

With entities around the world, Justworks has localized support and access to benefits that take into account mental health. With Justworks, we have solutions that always put people first. Learn more about how Justworks can support your team (both locally and internationally), and get started today.