Teammate well-being being is something that we focus on year-round. But, during Mental Health Awareness Month, we went BIG and took the opportunity to plan a packed schedule of activities with the goal of creating a safe space for our teammates to bring their whole selves to work.
As one in five adults experience a mental health condition each year, it is important for us to name and normalize mental health to create a more connected and inclusive culture. Also, who doesn’t need some sort of support after 2020/21?! All that is happening in the world can take a toll on our mental well-being, and it’s okay to not be okay!
Led by our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, we hosted a whopping ten mental health initiatives throughout May! From guest speakers to yoga classes to midday mini-wellness breaks, we gave teammates many opportunities to learn more about ways to support their mental health. While we invited external subject matter experts for some events, others were led by qualified teammates, giving us an opportunity to connect and learn from each other. Highlights include a discussion on mental health across diverse cultures, socially distanced outdoor workouts, and a workshop on remote work-life balance presented by our CEO, Bram Hechtkopf.
“Being given the tools and knowledge to be able to take a mental break right in the most hectic of times was invaluable to me,” said one Kobian about one of our wellness sessions.
Another teammate said their main takeaway was to “take care of yourself first so you can function at full capacity in your day-to-day personal and professional life.”
In addition to the activities, we also decided to give all our teammates a mental wellness day off as a chance to take a break and do something that brings them joy. All in all, Mental Health Month was a huge success – so much so, we’re working on turning some of our May initiatives into year-round offerings to continue supporting teammate wellness at Kobie!
