By: NWI Staff

Redesigning Wellness with Jen ArnoldThe Redesigning Wellness podcast explores the world of corporate health to help employers build strategic wellness programs that engage employees.

In this podcast, Jen Arnold interviews experts in various specialties to demystify the common worksite wellness program. She’ll also spend time sharing barriers to help get your wellness program moving forward.

You’ll discover common sense approaches to wellness, tips for engaging employees and how to implement a program that your employees actually like.


190: A Collaborative Effort for Mental Wellness with Rebecca Fairman, Executive Director of Connections for Mental Wellness

According to the World Health Organization, the estimated cost of depression and anxiety is $1 trillion per year (globally) due to lost productivity. The 2019 Mind the Workplace report revealed that 55% of respondents were afraid to take the day off to tend to their mental health. Pair these two stats (just a couple of the many out there) and we have a costly issue wrapped in stigma. That’s why one of the most exciting advances in wellness is the inclusion of mental health as a component of employee wellbeing. Today’s guest, Rebecca Fairman, Executive Director of Connections for Mental Wellness, shares the changes being made in northeast Wisconsin through a collective impact model and the company she leads, Connections for Mental Wellness.

In this episode, Rebecca discusses how Connections for Mental Wellness got started and the initial planning after receiving a one million dollar grant. She gives examples of a few barriers to accessing mental health support that her company hopes to assist with, and the pros and cons of collaborating with so many other organizations seeking to address similar mental health care issues. Rebecca shares how employers are represented in the work being done and a few tools available to employers to get started, like the ICU tool and mental health first aid training. She discusses her belief in the importance of psychological safety and active listening. Finally, Rebecca gives a tangible tip for how to start addressing employee mental health in your organization.

This episode is sponsored by University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management, offering online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in wellness management. You can visit hwm.wisconsin.edu for more information.

For full show notes, including links mentioned visit https://redesigningwellness.com/.