How Mental Health Can Make or Break Your Business In A Crisis

Businesses face all kinds of crises, from economic downturns to natural disasters, cyberattacks, and even internal challenges like workplace harassment or leadership changes. In such turbulent times, organizations often focus on practical operations—like securing data, mitigating financial damage, or maintaining essential services. However, one critical element that should never be overlooked is the mental health of employees.

What Does Mental Health Support Look Like in Business?

Mental health support in a business refers to a range of programs, resources, and initiatives aimed at maintaining and improving the well-being of employees. It includes:

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): These are confidential services offering counseling and support for emotional well-being, stress management, substance abuse issues, and other personal concerns.
• Training for Managers and Supervisors: Training leaders to recognize signs of stress, burnout, and other mental wellness issues in their teams and providing appropriate support or referrals.
• Access to Mental Health Resources: This could include access to therapy (in-person or virtual), mindfulness programs, relaxation areas, and mental wellness workshops.
• Workplace Culture: Building a supportive, open, and understanding culture where employees feel comfortable talking about mental health challenges.
• Emergency Mental Health Plans: Having a clear, pre-established crisis management protocol that integrates wellness support.

Why Is Mental Health Support Important BEFORE a Crisis?

Crisis situations—whether personal, organizational, or global—can be overwhelming. Employees may face emotional distress, confusion, anxiety, and burnout, especially if they’re unprepared or unsupported. Having behavioral health support systems in place before a crisis hits can:

• Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Knowing that there are resources available to help can give employees a sense of security and peace of mind.
• Enhance Productivity and Focus: When employees know that their well-being is a priority, they can focus more on the tasks at hand, rather than struggling with stress.
• Increase Resilience: Having a wellness support network in place helps employees manage and bounce back from adversity more effectively.
• Build Trust and Loyalty: A company that prioritizes employee health is more likely to retain employees, as they feel valued and supported.

Planning Mental Health Support in Crisis Management

The most successful businesses don’t wait for a crisis to begin addressing mental health. Instead, they plan ahead:

1. Assess Risk and Identify Needs: Understand potential crises (e.g., economic recession, natural disasters) and how they might impact employees mentally.
2. Create a Mental Health Crisis Plan: Develop a crisis-specific well-being response strategy, including accessible resources, trained cognitive health professionals, and communication plans.
3. Communicate with Employees: Let employees know that their health is a priority and that resources will be available if a crisis occurs.
4. Build a Supportive Environment: Create a culture that encourages openness about emotional balance and normalizes seeking support.
5. Provide Regular Check-ins: Set up regular check-ins during a crisis to gauge the mental well-being of employees and provide ongoing support.

Learn from Real-World Scenarios

Let’s look at two scenarios to gain valuable insights into how mental health support can make or break a business during a crisis. They illustrate the stark contrast between companies that proactively prioritize employee well-being and those that don’t. For example, businesses with wellness programs often see lower turnover, faster recovery, and higher trust in leadership during tough times. Learning from these examples helps organizations understand the importance of creating a supportive, resilient workplace before a crisis hits.

Case Scenario 1: Company Without Mental Health Support During a Crisis

Case Scenario 2: Company with Mental Health Support in Place During a Crisis

The Critical Role of Mental Health Support

In crisis management, the emotional well-being of employees cannot be an afterthought. The difference between companies that manage crises successfully and those that don’t often lies in how they care for their people. As illustrated by the two case scenarios, businesses that proactively address mental wellness, both in normal times and during crises, not only help their employees but also ensure better recovery and long-term success.

Investing in mental health support systems before a crisis hits is not just a good business practice—it’s essential for fostering a resilient, focused, and engaged workforce capable of navigating even the toughest of challenges.

Related Blogs

Employee Wellness Isn’t A Perk – It’s A Business Imperative (And It’s Not Just About Yoga)

Preparing For Business Disruptions: BCPs, DRPs, and BCDRs

How CrowdStrike’s Faulty Update Became A Worldwide Wake-Up Call

Resources

Bersin, Josh. “Mental Health Has Become a Business Imperative.” MITSloan Management Review. 8/29/22. Accessed 2/17/25. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/mental-health-has-become-a-business-imperative 

“Crisis Management and Business Resilience: Lessons from Recent Economic Disruptions.” DeJong Consulting.11/1/24. Accessed 2/17/25. https://www.dejongconsultingllc.com/article/crisis-management-business-resilience-lessons-from-economic-disruptions 

Staglin, Garen. “Planning For A Crisis: Tactics To Support Employee Mental Health During Emergencies.” 4/6/23. Accessed 2/17/25. https://www.forbes.com/sites/onemind/2023/04/06/planning-for-a-crisis-tactics-to-support-employee-mental-health-during-emergencies