Supporting Employee Well-Being: How HR Plays a Role in World Mental Health Day

Each year on October 10th we commemorate World Mental Health day. A day dedicated to raising awareness, minimize stigma, and promote meaningful connections and conversations about mental well-being. In the modern fast-paced and high-pressured working world, mental health support comes as a crucial element beyond a wellness initiative. It helps to build a more resilient, compassionate, and productive workplace. 

 

For HR professionals this day is an important reminder in the role we play in creating a culture that prioritizes empathy, balance, and care. When employees are mentally supported, they are more engaged, collaborative, and better equipped to excel in their roles. 


Why Mental Well-Being Matters 


Mental health can affect anyone, regardless of position, age, industry, or experience. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2019, 970 million people globally battled mental health issues. Anxiety and depression being the most common disorders. The economic costs become substantial, with loss in productivity outstripping direct cost of care. 


Beyond numbers, the impact can ripple through teams and affect morale. Stress, burnout, and disengagement have real, impactful consequences. Acknowledging mental health and proactively making efforts to take care of employees strengthens companies as a whole. 



How Can Employers Support Employee Mental Health? 


 While there is no “cookie cutter” formula to promote mental wellness – creating an environment where employees feel seen, heard, and supported is key. Here are a few actions HR can implement to make an impact: 


  • Foster Open Conversations 


Break the silence. Openly encouraging judgement-free conversations around mental health can reduce the stigma around the topic. Practicing empathy and sharing personal experiences can encourage others to also discuss their own experiences and current challenges. 


  • Access to Mental Health Resources 


Ensure employees know where they can turn to for help. Having an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with access to counseling, therapy, or mental-health hotlines and online support tools can increase awareness and better access to resources that can help employees whom are struggling with their mental health. 


HR can also work with benefits providers to increase coverage for mental health services or host workshops that focus on stress management and mindfulness as well as recognizing signs of burnout or emotional distress. 


Creating an environment within the workplace that promotes these habits also is important. Having quiet spaces to decompress, offering mental health days, or acknowledging small employee achievements can go a long way. 



  • Work-Life Balance 


Having a balance between work and personal life is key in maintaining mental health. Encourage employees to set realistic goals and expectations, honour their time off, and model such balanced behaviour themselves. Flexible work schedules, options to work remotely, regular check-ins, and encouraging boundaries can help employees better manage their workload and reduce burnout. 


Celebrating World Mental Health Day in the workplace 



World Mental Health Day is a great opportunity to remind and emphasize an organization’s commitment to well-being. Here are a few ways HR can promote and celebrate the day: 


  • Host a wellness workshop: Invite a speaker or mental-health professional to talk about coping strategies or tools for mindfulness 

 

  • Coffee & Connection: Have an informal meeting where employees can share their own ways to de-stress and support one another 

 

  • Share Resources: Share educational material or mental health tips through internal communication channels 

 

Closing Thoughts 


Mental health shouldn’t just be a one-day topic. It’s a constant year-round commitment to help take care of ourselves. On this World Mental Health Day, we should reflect on how to make our own workplaces safer, fostering compassionate and stigma-free spaces for everyone. 


As HR professionals we are in a key role to lead this change. We can advocate for open dialogue, sharing helpful resources, and nurturing an inclusive culture that values well-being just as much as performance. By working together, united we can create safer workplaces where employees can thrive both professionally and personally. 


When people feel supported, everyone benefits. 


 


Resources: 

https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_2 

 


About the Author: 
Rheya is a volunteer with the CPHR Alberta Social Media Committee, a young professional passionate about HR and creativity. With a Diploma and Bachelor's in Business Administration from SAIT, Rheya brings experience in project management, SEO, and social media. When not working, Rheya enjoys crocheting, writing a first novel, and binge-watching Harry Potter movies. 






The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



What HR Leaders Are Telling Us Their Organizations Need Right Now

By Marina Perkovic • July 22, 2026
At the CPHR Alberta Conference, we asked HR leaders one question: What leadership capability matters most for the future of your organization? Leaders picked up a star and placed it beside their answer. By the end of the conference, HR leaders cast 131 votes across 16 capabilities. Three stood out, with two tied for first place. Here is what they told us. What the Data Showed The capabilities on the board came from Bright Wire's PLUS Leadership Framework, a proprietary model built to define what effective leadership looks like across every level of an organization and is organized across four dimensions: Courageous Coach-Like Disciplined for Results and Relational The results below reflect the capabilities HR professionals believe matter most. 

The Business Case for Sleep: What HR Professionals Need to Know

By Jessica Jaithoo • July 9, 2026
Author: Robin Daultani Mental health support. Fitness benefits. Stress management resources. Workplace wellness programs have evolved significantly over the past decade. Yet one foundational pillar of employee health and performance remains conspicuously absent from most wellness strategies: sleep. The cost of this gap is staggering. A landmark RAND Corporation study¹ found that insufficient sleep costs the Canadian economy up to $21.4 billion annually, through a combination of absenteeism and reduced productivity. A Gallup study² reinforced this finding, showing that poor sleepers report more than double the rate of unplanned absences compared to other workers. And a 2026 Wellhub study³ found that 83% of employees identify poor sleep as a contributing factor to burnout, a figure that demands attention when nearly nine in ten employees report burnout symptoms annually. Consider what this looks like in practice. A team member who slept poorly scrolls through emails at 7am already feeling behind. By mid-morning, a decision that should take minutes stretches into a 45-minute deliberation. After lunch, focus drops sharply, not because of the workload, but because the brain is running on insufficient rest. By 3pm, a second coffee masks the fatigue but does nothing for the impaired judgment underneath. Research shows that after 17 hours of continuous wakefulness, the equivalent of a normal waking day ending at 11pm, cognitive impairment matches that of someone who is legally intoxicated⁴. This is not an unusual day. For many employees, this is every day. Sleep rarely appears on the wellness agenda, leaving a significant and measurable performance gap unaddressed. The reason is partly cultural. Sleep is still widely perceived as a personal responsibility. But the research suggests otherwise: sleep is not a personal indulgence. It is a performance lever that affects every metric HR professionals are already tracking: productivity, absenteeism, burnout, and retention. The same RAND study¹ that quantified the cost of insufficient sleep also found the flipside: if Canadians who sleep under six hours started sleeping just one hour more per night, it could add $12 billion to the national economy. The returns are not theoretical. They are measurable, achievable, and waiting to be captured. The good news is that addressing sleep does not require a major overhaul of existing wellness programs. Organizations can start by simply putting sleep on the wellness agenda. Most workplace wellness surveys ask about stress, mental health, and physical activity. Adding questions about sleep quality or duration to existing wellness assessments can provide baseline data to identify and measure the scope of the issue within their workforce. Leaders and managers who openly prioritize rest and recovery give permission for the rest of the organization to do the same. Small cultural shifts like discouraging late-night emails or respecting boundaries around after-hours communication can quietly improve sleep conditions across an entire team. None of these require a budget. They require intentional inclusion. Now consider what becomes possible. A team member, after two weeks of consistent, quality sleep, arrives at work already focused. The mid-morning decision is made in minutes. The afternoon dip is manageable, not debilitating. The second coffee becomes optional, not essential. Nothing else about their workload or responsibilities has changed. They show up more empathetic and more present for their customers, peers, and family. The only difference is how well they slept. The performance gap between these two versions of the same employee is not marginal. It is the difference between surviving and thriving. The question for HR professionals is no longer whether sleep affects organizational performance. The research has answered that definitively. The question is whether sleep has earned a place in their wellness strategy. And if not, what that gap is quietly costing their organization.

Future-Ready HR: A Recap of the CPHR Alberta 2026 Conference

By Jessica Jaithoo • June 25, 2026
Author: Rheya Patel , 2026 Social Media Committee Member Leading with Courage, Empathy, and Connection Over the past two days, people leaders and business professionals as well as members of our CPHR Alberta community gathered at the BMO Center in Calgary to explore the ever-evolving terrain of Human Resources, firmly reminding me just how incredibly interesting, as well as important our work is in daily organizational operations. Coming from an in-person perspective, the energy was incredible. As Co-Chair of this year’s Social Media Committee, I had the privilege of attending both days, capturing these moments and learning alongside all of you. The overarching theme of this year's conference was clear: while technology and processes are evolving, the future of HR is fundamentally asking us to be more human. Day 1: Adaptability and Breaking New Paths We kicked off Day 1 with a focus on Change Management. The first panel emphasized that in a world defined by constant shifts, HR must prioritize workforce planning and clear communication to remain resilient. One of the most unique panels on day 1 explored the world of Military Reservists led by three actively serving reservists. It was intriguing to learn about skills that can be transferred both "on and off the field"—such as leadership under pressure and community networking—and how undoubtedly invaluable they are to the professional world. Our panelists also touched on the vital importance of motivating and connecting with Canadian youth to build our future talent pipelines. Our closing panel was a powerful discussion on Leading the Future. The message was bold: do not wait for a path to be cleared for you. Courage is the Catalyst: Small ideas can spark massive change. Validation through Action: When you take the lead, others join the idea, creating the momentum needed to become a changemaker. A New Approach to Leadership: Instead of leading solely with data, processes, or solutions, the panel challenged us to lead with stories, questions, and silence. However, this was not the end. After all scheduled events, the day wrapped up with an HR Social in our exhibit hall. And though my duties were finished for the day, I took full advantage of the opportunity to meet with other HR professionals to continue to learn and grow. Receiving invaluable tips on starting off my own career as an emerging HR professional. Day 2: Culture, Integrity, and the AI Balance Day 2 shifted our focus toward the internal health of our organizations. I firmly believe that organizations should take care of the people within, just as they care about the people on the outside. We can think of it as how we take care of ourselves and each other. Empathy causes us to care deeply for others, but sometimes caring for ourselves can lose priority in our day to day lives, but our bodies are tuned in to making sure we don’t forget. Such as internal signals to let us know when we’re tired, our stomachs rumbling to indicate hunger. These internal signals can be a mini, personal version of an HR group, taking care of the internal needs while we take care of external needs. Starting bright and early, our opening keynote speaker addressed the difficult reality and complexities of toxic bosses. As HR professionals, it is our responsibility to ensure toxicity isn't "hidden in plain sight," to hold these bosses accountable, and to protect employees from potential retaliation when reporting harmful behavior. It is part of our role to reach the root of the issue and help to resolve it before the weeds grow out of control. Our first micro-session of the day dove into a matter that has become a topic of intense discussion as of recently. Our Aging Workforce. The speaker brought up insightful thoughts on mitigating the impacts, redesigning work environments to support employees at every life stage. By debunking the myth that older workers are "more expensive" and encouraging mentorship between generations, we create a more inclusive culture. The Role of Trust and Culture The second microsession of the day served as a great reminder to all those who attended the conference, that culture and trust are formed much earlier than we often assume. From the transparency of the hiring process to the clarity of defined roles, the employee experience begins the moment trust is established. And this can serve as a defining factor in a candidate’s decision when applying for roles as well as accepting offers. The "Ghost of AI" vs. Human Connection I had the pleasure of attending one of the three offered breakout sessions for day 2, and it touched on an increasingly more relevant concern emerging in the HR world and in the workforce in general. Artificial Intelligence. While AI is a powerful tool for managing vast amounts of data and streamlining applications, we must be wary of its "ghosts." The AI Limit: While AI can assist in conflict analysis, it is largely useless in resolving conflict if there is no genuine human connection. Three Smarts: To navigate conflict, we need a balance of book smarts, street smarts, and—most importantly—emotional smarts. Connection is the Cure: As we use AI more, we risk connecting with each other less. Conflict resolution requires building real bridges, not just analyzing data. With AI becoming much more prevalent in today’s workforce, being more reliable in terms of productivity and efficiency, it is missing the lifeblood of any organization. Being human. While AI has many uses and can easily adapt on the flick of a dime, it is us, the culture, being human, that makes a workplace come to life. Closing with Empathy To close out this years’ CPHR conference, our final keynote on transformative leadership was led by the Honourable, Beverley McLachlin, the first female and longest-serving Chief Justice. While short, it had to be the most powerful session I got to attend over the two day conference. The lesson was simple, yet profound: Leading with integrity and empathy means finding the best in your people and highlighting their unique strengths to succeed as a unified team. And I believe this is what HR is about. Working with people that bring out the best in each other to form strength and unity in the workforce. Looking Ahead to 2027 I hope everyone learned something invaluable that changes the way they work. That we all remember, in the end, the future isn't just about efficiency; it's about courage, flexibility, and a deep commitment to the people we serve. It was a privilege to be part of capturing insights from the Conference with the Social Media Committee. You’ll soon have the opportunity to revisit select sessions when our On Demand offering launches. Stay tuned this fall for ticket sales for the CPHR Alberta 2027 Conference, happening in Edmonton on June 9th and 10th. We can’t wait to welcome you back!
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