Chief Mental and Physical Well-Being Program

The World Happiness Academy presents the Chief Mental and Physical Well-Being Program, the first program in the world based on the US Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health and Well-Being in the Workplace. 

The framework outlines the foundational role that work environments and leadership play in promoting the health and well-being of workers and the communities they serve. The framework details the five essentials that can help organizations develop and establish processes, policies, and practices that support the mental and physical health and well-being of all workers. The framework includes evidence-informed practices, which can guide leadership on how to engage their workers and institutionalize programs. 

The Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being

1. Protection from Harm

Providing a safe environment for employees is the first step toward promoting their mental health and well-being on the job. To encourage behaviors that more effectively prevent harm, workplaces should:

• Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety
• Promote adequate rest
• Normalize conversations on mental health
• Support focusing on mental health
• Promote programs and policies supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility

2. Connection and Community

The happiness of employees can be improved by the encouragement of positive social ties at work. Practices that better guarantee connection and a sense of community can be encouraged in the workplace through:

• Creation and promotion of a company culture supporting inclusion and belonging
• Promoting opportunities and activities that cultivate trusted relationships
• Create opportunities that foster collaboration, teamwork, and camaraderie

3. Work-Life Harmony

Conflicts between professional and personal roles are not uncommon. Workplaces can do the following to encourage habits that better guarantee work-life harmony:

• Give workers the opportunity and resources to be more independent with their work
• Make schedules adjustable and flexible
• Increase access to paid leaves
• Recognize and respect the difference between work time and personal time.

4. Mattering at Work

People are most motivated and inspired to work when they know their efforts and output are valued. Knowing that your work is recognized as valuable helps reduce the risk of stress and depression, which leads to higher engagement and productivity. Ways that organization can establish a culture of mattering at work include:

• Provide a living wage
• Involve workers in workplace decisions
• Build a culture of gratitude
• Recognize efforts
• Align individual work with organizational mission

5. Opportunities for Growth

More possibilities for workers to achieve goals based on their talents and development lead to more confidence in those individuals’ abilities and a greater desire to contribute to the business as a whole. To promote opportunities for growth, workplaces can:

• Provide quality training, education, and mentoring
• Support channels for career advancement
• Encourage reciprocal feedback

The World Happiness Academy has put together the brightest minds in the world to help coaches, trainers, HR professionals, business leaders, educators, and business owners strategize their approach to mental and physical well-being. Through this program, leadership gains access to tools, content, resources, and best practices on how to effectively launch their own plan supporting workplace health and well-being.

Get certified as a Chief Mental and Physical Well-Being Officer and start rolling your program right away in your organization