Discussing Mental Health in the Workplace

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, myGwork spoke with Stéphanie Martin from Moody’s about the importance of discussing mental health in the workplace. She also gave advice to LGBTQ+ people struggling with their mental health, and provided tips to those who want to be better allies.

Image Credit: Canva

Hi Stephanie, please tell us about yourself?

Hi there- My name is Stephanie Martin and apart from my day-to-day sales job at Moody’s, I head one of our employee advocacy groups dedicated to increasing support and awareness around mental health within our organization.  

Why do you think it’s important to discuss mental health in the workplace?

At the end of the day, I am a firm believer that successful organizations can only exist with a diverse, healthy and happy workforce. We all have mental health, yet it is still a topic many people shy away from as there is still a taboo around it. By talking about our mental health, the hope is that people can bring their authentic self to work and thrive as their whole selves. 

Do you think it’s important to talk specifically about LGBTQ+ mental health? Why?

It is absolutely crucial to talk to the LGBTQ+ community about mental health for the simple reason that mental health problems like depression and suicide are more common for members of this community. This is due in part to the discrimination, homophobia, bullying or transphobia they might face. Historically, this group is more likely to have been asked or encouraged to change to ‘fit in’ and this is absolutely the opposite of what we want to do today. Many organizations are still finding out the best ways to welcome members of that community into their corporate culture, but this will not be accomplished overnight. This is a very complex issue and people have many varied needs; Moody’s understands that, and we want to make sure everyone feels seen and supported to bring their true selves to work.

What advice would you give to an LGBTQ+ professional who is struggling with their mental health?

The short version is: support is out there, and you are not alone.

Mental health struggles, unlike physical health, often leave us feeling very isolated as they can come with feelings of shame; so much so that we forget that they are actually incredibly common. One analysis conducted by Champion Health this year showed that 60% of individuals are experiencing mild to severe symptoms of anxiety in the workplace. So, with that in mind, I always encourage anyone suffering to reach out to whatever support is available to them as soon as possible.

At Moody’s, we have two dedicated anonymous lines employees and their families can call; but if this is not available to you at your current employer there are a number of support organizations that specialize in mental health for the LGBTQ+ community such as Gendered Intelligence, Imaan, LGBT Foundation, Mind LGBT or the Samaritans that are available 24/7.

What would you like to change in the workplace to make it easier to discuss mental health?

It starts at the top, senior leadership in any organization needs to be better educated in order to understand the importance of mental health and have it really part of their agenda. I would love to see more training for managers who may feel like they don’t have the appropriate tools to support their teams. And finally, I’d love for mental health check-ins to become common practice so that we can speak of these issues on an ongoing basis as opposed to after a crisis has occurred.

What tips would you offer employers on how they can better support LGBTQ+ people and their mental health?

The message here is, it is ok not to know as long as there is a real effort made to learn and adapt. It is ok to hire external advisers who can come in and share their expertise, but it is also important to speak directly to LGBTQ+ people about what their needs are and making sure that they are heard. This can be done via an open-door policy, anonymous surveys.

Employers who are committed will typically have a mental health strategy in place that is easily accessible by potential applicants. Creating real change will require a concerted effort between the Diversity & Inclusion teams, the wellbeing teams, the employee support groups, external advisors and the employees themselves. 

What does taking care of your mental health look like for you?

I have personally used the resources offered by Moody’s by contacting our Employee Assistance Program which then put me in touch with a therapist. I have reached out twice at different times in my life when facing different challenges and have found those sessions so invaluable. I was left with lessons and insight that still guide me today. One of the lessons learned is that good mental health doesn’t mean always feeling our best, but instead being able to weather the ups and downs of life with acceptance and kindness towards ourselves, even when we fail and make mistakes.