Today, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the SHRM Foundation, partnered with Psych Hub to announce the creation of the Workplace Mental Health Ally Certificate as part of the SHRM Foundation’s Workplace Mental Health and Wellness initiative. The initiative was launched to accelerate the movement to eliminate the stigma of mental health in the workplace and foster an organizational culture where workplace mental health can be discussed openly, and help organizations build a more complete approach to employee wellness.
SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP made the announcement on Friday at SHRM’s Annual Conference and Exposition (SHRM21) in Las Vegas.
“People are our most important asset, and for too long our culture has stigmatized mental health, and that’s a serious problem for our families, communities, and workplaces,” said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Society for Human Resource Management. “Attention to the mental health and wellness of employees is crucial to employee retention, job satisfaction, productivity and overall success. We want all employees to realize their full potential—to be well both physically and mentally.”
Through this Workplace Mental Health Ally Certificate, SHRM is providing the tools necessary for HR professionals to implement better workplace cultures, while also recognizing a one size fits all approach is not the answer. Organizations need to recognize the varying mental health challenges facing our diverse workforce.
“Mental health and wellness in the workplace is one of the critical issues of our time and has only been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, the visibility of equity and social justice issues, and the overall economic instability across the globe,” said Wendi Safstrom, Executive Director of the SHRM Foundation. “The HR profession has always had a role in addressing mental health and wellness, and there is an unprecedented need for their leadership and vision. The SHRM Foundation is committed to helping HR professionals and people managers provide the best possible support for businesses’ most treasured resources: our employees – our people.”
The Workplace Mental Health Ally Certificate is an online learning program consisting of a series of eight multimedia courses covering common mental health conditions, substance use, suicide, safety planning, diversity and bias, and communication skills. After completing the series, HR professionals will possess more knowledge and skills to better develop empathy and support the mental health and wellness of employees and colleagues in the workplace.
The learning program delivers evidence-based training with shareable resources and is eligible for seven professional credits (PDCs). The certificate was developed by Psych Hub, the world’s most comprehensive multimedia platform for mental health education, in partnership with SHRM and the SHRM Foundation. Upon completion of the certification, Psych Hub offers access to its continually expanding suite of shareable learning and informational materials designed by clinical experts.
“Everyone has a role to play in combating the global mental health crisis. It’s through partnerships with leading organizations like SHRM and SHRM Foundation that we’re able to develop evidence-based content specifically targeted to HR professionals and people managers,” said Marjorie Morrison, Chief Executive Officer, Psych Hub. “Trained HR professionals can play a profound role in transforming the workplace and properly address employee mental health and well-being.”
To learn more about the Workplace Mental Health Ally Certificate and Workplace Mental Health and Wellness learning resources, please visit: workplacementalhealth.shrm.org