What if work was good for our mental health and not just something we recovered from?
Petra Valzoeber explored this idea, among many others, during her compelling keynote, Building a Mentally Health Workplace.
In the wake of the Pandemic, alongside other national issues, individuals have a heightened awareness of mental health and how their work affects their mental health. Petra used her personal and professional experience to break down stigma and pitfalls in how organizations approach mental health for their employees.
She graciously inserted humor into a serious and often heavy topic. Here are two takeaways that we loved from her keynote:
Mental Health is sharing both the positive and challenging things in our lives.
Petra pointed out that we’ve created stigmas around mental wellness and fixated on the negative. “When we think of mental health, we go to disorders. But it encompasses wellbeing, not just those experiencing something difficult,” she said.
We can create environments where employees thrive simply by giving people space to share their successes and struggles. Sharing victories or talking about something fulfilling – like a satisfying session at the gym – is a small way to create positive accountability in our teams.
Walking Meetings
Another idea she shared was a ‘walking meeting.’ A walking meeting can be in person or over the phone, just like it sounds. When the office isn’t a necessary component to the meeting’s agenda – get outside! It is a great way to change the environment and get a little fresh air during a meeting. We think these meetings, when appropriate, are a great idea and many on our team look forward to trying them out!
If you were able to join us, what were your favorite takeaways? Let us know in the comments!