When members of Team Teal launched Health 360 a few years ago – an employee represented group (ERG) focused on the self-care and mental health of employees – the need for human connection was high.
“We formed in October 2020 during the pandemic to help bring awareness to mental health from an employee perspective,” says Health 360 co-lead Martene Woodward, who in her day job is an Edmonton-based CWB Mortgage Underwriting Manager. “Globally we were in the midst of such uncertainty. People everywhere were navigating changes, whether that was remote work, general isolation at home and more. We wanted to create a space for people to share and support each other through this tough time.”
Now representing 11 different focus areas within CWB, ERGs are grassroots, employee-led groups that bring together employees with like interests and mindsets. Health 360’s mandate is to connect employees in community, raise awareness of self-care and mental health, and offer mental health supports and resources. At over 300 members, Woodward says it’s one of CWB’s largest ERGs.
“We saw a huge influx of people right off the bat, and it’s only continued to increase from there. We have a lot of passionate people, and the group is constantly evolving as we learn and grow,” she shares. “That said, we’re always about normalizing mental health conversations. We want to bring light to those conversations that might normally stay in the dark.”
The group is active year-round, though not surprisingly Mental Health Week in May is especially busy. Woodward explains the broad and intersectional nature of mental health drives them to take a “choose-your-own-adventure" approach to the week. This means selecting topics that are accessible, far reaching, and in several different formats – like webinars, reading material, and lunch-and-learns – which allow employees of all levels to choose the best fit for their interests and schedules.
“Encouraging a work environment where people can be authentic, where you’re not hiding pieces of yourself, has a hugely positive impact on mental health. That applies to every level, whether you're new to the organization, have been here a long time, or are in a leadership role,” says Woodward. “Bringing your whole self to work is an act of bravery. When people can see that in practice during Mental Health Week and beyond, it gives them permission to do the same.”
Mental health and wellness is a subject that touches everyone, so Health 360 takes a very collaborative and relationship-based approach in their efforts. They work with CWB’s 10 other ERGs, as well as with the corporate Health and Wellness team.
A complementary partnership
Lynn Ryan is CWB’s Program Lead for Employee Health and Wellness – a position that operates in step with Health 360 and was created in 2021 to enhance support and line of sight for Team Teal’s wellbeing.
She says the ERG complements the corporate program by encouraging people to share how they’re doing and to reach out for help when they’re not ok.
“My role approaches health and wellness from an institutional perspective to ensure employees are aware of the resources and benefits available to them,” says Ryan. “Health 360, on the other hand, has a member-based approach that’s able to tackle tough conversations on a personal level within a passionate employee group. And so, marrying the two allows us to harness and funnel our energy and efforts towards a shared audience. On a personal level, the collaborative environment here, combined with my role, helps me feel safe to be my true self. I’m not afraid to be vulnerable, to admit when I'm having a bad day, or to create a safe space to share my own experience with burnout. I’ve had people come to me afterwards and say what I shared really hit home. I'm a full believer in the ripple effect that happens when we learn, talk, and support each other. That’s what fills my cup and brings me to work every day.”
Support for – and from – a diverse employee community
When it comes to Health 360 engaging with other ERGs, Malvika Kathpal says the whole premise behind ERGs makes for both a natural and powerful partnership. Kathpal is a CWB Inclusion and Diversity Specialist, whose role includes acting as an ERG corporate resource. She says in the last year she’s noticed many ERGs actively reaching out to Health 360 to help create a space where their members can talk about mental health and what that looks like in their community.
“The purpose of ERGs is to build a community; it's never the intention to create silos,” she says. “Mental health is an aspect of simply being human, so even if there’s another ERG that has a cultural dimension or a racial dimension, or an ethnic dimension – everyone can relate to facilitating mental wellness through connection, which is what Health 360 tries to do. I also believe that a lot of the discrimination or bias we face from belonging to a certain diversity dimension contributes to having mental health trouble. So addressing mental health from that perspective is really valuable as well. Together our ERGs are forging a path to where we’re more accepting of all facets of ourselves.”
Stronger together, as a whole
How big of a difference can a collaborative approach to mental health make in the workplace?
In addition to supporting the organization’s ERGs, Kathpal is also an active ERG member. She describes her first experience attending a Health 360 event – about a month after joining CWB – as both eye-opening and empowering.
“I remember so clearly how I felt watching that event and realizing it's OK for us to talk about these things at work,” she says. “In my culture, it's really taboo to discuss mental health. I mean, in my experience, you don't tell people when you go to a therapist. And so, seeing this in the workplace, something shifted for me: I can bring my whole self to work here. I don't have to take one part of me out when I come to work. I realized through the connections and community created by our ERGs, and through the safe spaces offered by Health 360, that CWB was saying, we're not asking you to take anything away from who you are. And that felt amazing.”