Your Guide to Building a Mentally Healthy Workplace
Our Thriving at Work Framework is a roadmap to guide your business to building a mentally healthy workplace.
More businesses recognise the need to prioritise workplace mental health. However, it can be difficult to know which approaches and initiatives will actually work. Our evidence-based Framework will help your business to answer this critical question.
The Framework is anchored in best practice from workplaces around the world, and was developed in collaboration with the World Wellbeing Movement. It draws on the insights of over 100 organisations from across the world, as well as latest academic research.
What is in our Framework?
The Framework highlights three areas which your organisation should focus on to promote workplace mental wellbeing: Organisational Culture, Working Environment, and Support for Individuals. These three Strategic Pillars form the foundation of a holistic approach.
Beneath these Pillars are ten evidence-based Standards. These outline the essential actions your organisation should take. Together, these Pillars and Standards will help you to design a comprehensive approach to workplace mental wellbeing at the organisational, team and individual levels. It ensures that all parts of your business are aligned to effectively work towards achieving your workplace wellbeing goals.
The Framework also includes:
- A range of tried and tested interventions, business case studies and other resources
- The latest academic evidence on the effectiveness of different workplace interventions
- Guidance on how to measure the mental wellbeing of your people and evaluate the impact of your workplace strategy
- Support on how embed inclusion priorities within your workplace wellbeing strategy
- New data to help you build a business case for investing in workplace mental wellbeing
Who should use our Framework?
This Framework has been designed to be universal, and should be used by:
- HR, Wellbeing, DEI and Business leaders, Heads of ERGs
- SMEs through to Global Enterprise
- National, international and global organisations
What do people say about our Framework?
Toni Graves, Global Head of Reward and Wellbeing, A&O Shearman
“MindForward Alliance’s Thriving at Work Framework is the foundation of our approach to employee wellbeing in our network of 40+ offices. The three pillars, and the detailed standards which underpin them, have helped to shape the minimum workplace mental health standards that we support our different regional offices to work towards. The Thriving at Work framework is supporting us on our journey to build a mentally healthy business, where our people feel supported and empowered to thrive – both personally and professionally. For organisations that are working on their approach to wellbeing, it is a great resource.”
Dr Will Fleming, Research Fellow Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford
“I’m excited to have been able to contribute to the updated MindForward Alliance Thriving at Work Framework. I’ve read many, many toolkits and guides for how best to improve workplace mental health and wellbeing across my research. Before ever beginning this collaboration with MindForward Alliance, I knew that this Framework was industry-leading. The MindForward Alliance Thriving at Work Framework takes a holistic and comprehensive approach that can act as best practice.”
Rachel Plaistowe, Head of Wellbeing, Group HR, Standard Chartered
“I’m delighted that MindForward Alliance frame their Thriving at Work framework around three pillars: culture, workplace environment and support. This is very much aligned with our approach, at Standard Chartered, of driving wellbeing holistically at individual, team and organisational level. The focus on prevention of mental ill-health, as well as cure, is also aligned with our approach. For us, that means addressing the root causes of poor workplace wellbeing (such as negative behaviours and unsustainable working practices) and amplifying the drivers of positive wellbeing, as well as offering wellbeing tools and resources to help individuals manage their own mental health.”
Sarah Cunningham, Managing Director, World Wellbeing Movement
“What’s the secret to workplace wellbeing? It’s a question I am asked a lot, and the truth is there is no single answer or initiative that is the right answer. Rather it requires businesses to take a whole organisation approach, and we are delighted to have collaborated with MindForward Alliance on a Framework which will help businesses across the world do exactly that.”
Karen Smith, Wellbeing Manager, BDO
“The Thriving At Work Framework from MindForward Alliance has been a useful tool to help inform and guide BDO’s approach to workplace mental health and our Be Well, Stay Well approach. The tool offers a holistic view of what a business’s workplace mental health and wellbeing strategy should include for best practice. The framework pillars and standards enable relevant mapping, and the identification of next steps for a business to prioritise wellbeing. Being able to share best practice is helpful to bring to life practical examples across the industry, offering new insights and considerations.”