With nearly 30% of our waking hours spent at work, it’s no wonder our workplaces play such a significant role in our mental well-being. Thankfully, building mentally healthy workplaces is easier than you think. There are simple, sustainable steps you can take as employers and employees to build a supportive workplace culture where everyone feels heard, valued, and energized.

Since publishing her book, Depression The Comedy: A Tale of Perseverance, Jessica Holmes has been a celebrated mental health advocate in Canada, joining Bell Lets Talk as a celebrity ambassador in 2018. She is consistently one of our most booked speakers, not only because everyone loved her on The Royal Canadian Air Farce or for her hilarious celebrity impressions, but because she is skilled at tackling a serious topic with heart and humour — plus she throws in a celebrity impression or two.

Jessica joined us “Inside Our Boardroom” to talk about the importance of mental health initiatives in the workplace — especially when burnout rates are at an all-time high — and shared how simple actions can make a huge difference. We also explored the power of humour to connect and the practical applications of positive psychology.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Combating Burnout in the Workplace

Speakers Spotlight: Why should workplaces and leaders care about burnout?

Jessica Holmes: An employer has an incredible influence over the mental health of their team, not only in their policies but in their actions.

For example, just acknowledging and rewarding people in the moment when they’ve done something well, acknowledging the strengths and qualities that your team members display in their job, can make a huge impact. But you don’t want to wait to do it once a year and have a big fanfare around employee recognition. What works best is to acknowledge it in the moment. When you see it, say it — that gives people a sense of pride and a bit more sense of control over the work that they’re doing because they can bring the best of themselves.  

When people use their strengths, their special qualities, in the workplace, there can be a 75% increase in the energy that person brings to work, which is incredible.

Keeping Mental Health a Priority at Work

SpSp: How can we avoid losing focus on mental health in uncertain or high stress times?

JH: For a lot of the clients that I work with, stress is inherent to their jobs, like teaching or nursing. You can’t just magically say, “oh, we changed some of our policies, and poof, the job is easy.” Some jobs are just tough. So, what I’ve been doing is exploring the question — when a job is just a difficult job, and that’s not going to change, what can we do that doesn’t cost anything extra, that doesn’t take any extra time, to improve someone’s well-being?

It’s the small things that count, like recognizing people’s accomplishments or hard work in the moment. It gives people more energy, it makes them feel proud of their job. We can also encourage employee friendships. One of the main predictors of employee well-being is if they have a buddy in the office, so create opportunities for people to get to know each other. One of the best ways to do that is to encourage management to be themselves, to have chats with people throughout the day and create opportunities for socializing.

I have some exercises that I do with my audiences to remind them that you can usually find three things in common with the person next to you in the space of two minutes. Workplace friendships is a zero-expense booster of people’s well-being and resilience.

SpSp: Why do workplace wellness initiatives sometimes fail?

JH: Yeah, it’s not enough to just put up a bunch of posters that say mental health matters. One of the best things leaders can do for their team is to model well-being. Instead of telling people to take care of themselves, you have to show people you are doing the same.

For example, I worked with one company where they had built a fancy new gymnasium at the office that no one was using. Finally, they started asking people, why aren’t you using this? And they said, “well, the managers aren’t using it, so I don’t want to look like I’m a slacker.” People want to see that leadership is taking care of their mental health and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t make you a slacker to take a five-minute break for deep breathing throughout the day. It doesn’t make you lazy or eccentric to do a walking meeting. People are far more likely to take advantage of mental health strategies in a workplace if they see management doing it as well.

The Power of Humour to Connect

SpSp: As a mental health advocate, you talk about serious subjects but manage to incorporate comedy into your presentations so well. What is the role of humour in your keynotes?

JH: Humour is disarming. If I were to get on stage and have this cold open of me sharing my mental health story, I think that could be triggering for people. They would have that same icky sense that a lot of people get when talking about mental health, which is that this is too vulnerable to talk about in the workplace.

I have chosen to be transparent with my mental health journey. A lot of comedians are like that, we go through something and the next day we’re on stage oversharing. I don’t feel ashamed at all about having been through depression. I don’t feel ashamed about the anxiety that I cope with. It’s just a part of me and a part of my life.

So, humour is the bridge that I use to connect with the audience on the subject of mental health. I start with some jokes, I may or may not do a couple of impressions, and I get the audience laughing, and then I share my story. I like feeling that connection with an audience. I’m not just there to list off everything you need to know about mental health. I’m there to create a connection with people so that they are less afraid of the mental health conversation, feel more hopeful about their own mental health journey, and have more empathy for anyone else who is going through it.

Positive Psychology and Mental Health

SpSp: Why did you decide to pursue a Master in Applied Positive Psychology?

JH: The reason I wanted to go down this path right now is because there’s so much information and misinformation about mental health and self care out there — suddenly everyone’s an expert. And I thought to myself, I get one hour on stage with an audience. I want to make sure that what I share with them is proven. That studies have been done over and over, that peers have reviewed the science, and these are the actual proven ways you can feel better at work and at home.

What amazes me about this program is that the proven steps you can take are actually quite simple. They don’t require a corporate restructuring, they are simple, small things that you can do on a daily basis. That’s what I’m excited to share.

Hire Jessica Holmes to Speak at Your Next Event

Transform your next event with Jessica Holmes — a masterful blend of comedy star power and mental health advocacy. Drawing from her own experience of living with depression as well as the realm of positive psychology, she provides actionable, research-backed strategies for mental health that your audience can implement immediately, both at home and work. Her unique ability to weave hilarious celebrity impressions with vulnerable personal insights creates an unforgettable experience that will have your audience both laughing and learning.

Contact us today to learn more about Jessica and how she can help your team take simple, sustainable steps towards fulfillment and well-being as a top mental health speaker.