The UK’s key mental health and wellbeing summit has teamed up with leading U.S. workplace mental health nonprofit Mind Share Partners to bring the premier workplace mental health and wellbeing conference to New York City, as the topic becomes critical for businesses to address during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
The Make A Difference U.S. Summit in association with Mind Share Partners is primed to be North America’s leading conference and exhibition addressing workplace culture, mental health, and wellbeing. It is set to take place in New York on October 15, 2020.
The global coronavirus pandemic has impacted not only the physical health of many individuals and their loved ones, but their mental health as well. It has also clearly demonstrated how essential employee mental health and wellbeing are to the livelihood of businesses.
Notwithstanding the pandemic, Mind Share Partners’ 2019 Mental Health at Work Report in partnership with SAP and Qualtrics, showed that 61% of full-time U.S. employees reported that their productivity was impacted by their mental health. Furthermore, 50% of millennials and 75% of Gen Zers have left a role due to mental health reasons.
These articles from the Financial Times and World Economic Forum highlight the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on mental health.
Mark Pigou, Founding Partner, Make A Difference US said: “The mental health and wellbeing of the workforce will be critical in helping to navigate through the challenging times ahead. Mind Share Partners has been leading the dialogue about workplace mental health in the US, so we could not be more delighted to be partnering with the organization’s Founder & CEO, Kelly Greenwood, and her team for the Make A Difference US event”.
“We are excited to bring our knowledge from the UK and merge this with Mind Share Partners’ deep understanding of where this crucial subject matter sits in both the psyche and boardroom of US employers. Together we genuinely feel that we can and will Make A Difference.”
Getting to the heart of the unprecedented challenges our workplaces are facing with the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Make A Difference US will bring together leading employers and experts. The event aims to accelerate the shift from stigma to solutions and equip attendees with the insights and strategies needed to implement sustainable programs that support mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing.
Another big theme of the event is the importance of company culture. Less than one third of U.S. employees feel comfortable talking about their mental health to their manager, HR, and senior leader. Employers can reduce stigma by addressing mental health from both a culture and leadership level.
Kelly Greenwood, Founder & CEO of Mind Share Partners said: “Proactively addressing mental health at work matters now, more than ever. During these unprecedented times, almost all of us will have some type of anxiety or depression. The effects on employee mental health will extend beyond the pandemic itself and change the future of work. Companies whose leaders obtain the knowledge and skills to name, normalize, and navigate mental health beyond benefits alone will be best positioned”.
“We are thrilled to partner with Make a Difference U.S., particularly given its emphasis on true culture change—the cornerstone of all our efforts. Joining forces enables us to leverage the success of Make a Difference US in hosting the leading UK conference for workplace mental health and Mind Share Partners’ expertise in delivering US-based training, advising, and content.”
The partnership provides both parties with mutual access to audiences and knowledge-sharing. This lays a solid foundation for a must-attend event that will meet growing demand from employers for clear guidance, as interest in workplace culture, mental health, and wellbeing continues to not only expand, but becomes a necessity in the workplace.
About the Author
Claire Farrow is the Global Director of Content and Programming for the Mad World and Make a Difference Summits. She also drives the content for Mad World News. Claire is on a mission to help every employer – large, medium and small – get the insight, inspiration and contacts they need to make real impact on workplace culture, mental health and wellbeing in their organisation. She has been freelance for more than 15 years. During that time, she has had the honour of working with many leading publishers, including the New York Times.
