Mental Health At Work: 7 Creative Ideas for Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to go beyond posters and emails—and start creating real change in how your workplace supports well-being. Whether your team works on laptops or factory floors, every employee deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported. In this post, you'll find 7 creative and practical ideas to make mental health a visible, ongoing part of your culture. Let’s make Mental Health Month matter!

1. Create a Mental Wellness Wall

Invite employees to write down one small action they’re taking for their mental health on sticky notes, and add them to a communal wall or digital board. It’s a visual way to celebrate small steps and inspire each other.

2. Mental Health Playlist Exchange

Ask team members to share songs that boost their mood, calm them down, or help them focus. Compile it into a company-wide shared playlist. Music is a powerful, personal connector.

3. ‘Permission Slips’ for Self-Care

Distribute fun “permission slips” employees can give themselves, like:

• “Permission to log off on time today.”

• “Permission to take a walk mid-morning.”

• “Permission to say no.”

This gently encourages boundaries and normalizes rest.

4. Host a “Real Talk” Series

Bring in speakers (you might know someone!) for casual, judgment-free chats about stress, burnout, boundaries, or the myths around self-care. Keep it short and impactful—like lunch & learns or coffee chats.

Alternatively, find mental health champions within your workplace and host a panel or fireside chat where people share their stories with others. It can have a huge impact!

5. Set a “No-Meeting” Morning or Day

Give people uninterrupted time to focus, recharge, or take an actual lunch break. One small change, big ripple effect.

6.Team Pulse Check

In your morning meetings, weekly meeting or staff meeting this month, take a quick "pulse check" (hint: this is something you could incorporate regularly).

• How’s your energy?

• What’s one thing we can do to support your well-being this month?

• What does a mentally healthy workplace look like to you?

This shows care and gives you real-time insight.

7.Curated Mental Health Toolkit

Share a virtual or physical toolkit with resources like:

• Crisis support numbers

• Your workplace EAP numbers or counseling service contact information (if you don't have this, share community resources for your local community).

• Journaling pages

• Short meditations

• Mini boundary-setting scripts

It shows you’re not just “talking the talk”—you’re providing tools, too.

Which of these ideas will you try first? Share this post with your team—let’s keep the conversation going. Because mental health at work is everyone’s business.

If you're ready to make lasting changes in your workplace culture, learn how we can support you in creating a healthier workplace—or reach out for a custom plan that fits your team's needs.

---

Free Weekly Email

Join the RESILIENT email list for a free weekly(ish) email with tools to prevent stress, overwhelm and build resilience in your personal and work life.

Hi, I'm Alison and welcome to the blog.

I have been a speaker and trainer for 20 years. I offer Mental Health First Aid in Canada and work with workplaces to improve mental wellbeing and psychological safety and reduce stress and burnout.

Join my free weekly email list Resilient for tools & resources to reduce stress, overwhelm & burnout , delivered to your inbox.

Be sure to connect with me on IG @alisonbutlernl or on LinkedIn.