Join us in championing mental health with Bell Let’s Talk Day initiatives and Twello’s exclusive wellness classes. Discover impactful strategies to enhance workplace wellbeing, foster a supportive culture, and empower your team.
Bell Let’s Talk Day will be on January 24, 2024.
As Bell Let’s Talk Day approaches, we encourage you to explore our mental health programs and wellness options. These resources can enhance your workplace and uplift your team’s morale.
Bell Canada made Let’s Talk to reduce the stigma around mental illness, Canada’s biggest business commitment to mental health.
For every hashtag #BellLetsTalk on social media platforms, phone call, or text, Bell will donate 5 cents in support of mental health programs. Bell Let’s Talk recently revealed the 115 beneficiaries of its 2023 Community Fund, allocating $2 million in grants to various community-centered mental health groups.
How high do you think we can get this number in 2024?
Mark your calendars! Bell Let’s Talk Day is coming up on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Around this important date, it’s the perfect opportunity to introduce mental health initiatives in your workplace. This is a pivotal time to demonstrate your commitment to mental health awareness and to show your employees that you stand with them in supporting this cause. Initiating these conversations and activities around Bell Let’s Talk Day sends a powerful message of support and understanding, fostering a more inclusive and empathetic work environment.
One of the main reasons Bell Let’s Talk day is so important is because it starts the conversation about mental health. Whether you’re a mentor or manager, everyone in an organization can help end the stigma associated with mental health. Depending on the size of your organization, have groups set aside time during the day to simply communicate.
Remember, nobody has to open up about their deepest darkest secrets and thoughts in these conversations! But, provide a comfortable space where your employees feel comfortable enough to share more about their lives.
These questions can get the dialogue going and make your team feel more at ease.
It can often be helpful to express an aspect of your personal life to get the conversation flowing. This shows employees that the space is safe to be vulnerable in. Again, it doesn’t need to be anything too deep to inspire conversations, a personal story such as, “I really used to struggle with Sunday-night anxiety about work. I would start answering emails on Sunday afternoon just to ‘get ahead,’ but that really prevented me from getting rest and balance over the weekend. Now I remove my email from my phone all weekend and remind myself how important it is to have space from work. Does this happen to anyone else?” can go a really long way.
Addressing employee mental health is often a neglected aspect in the corporate world, but it’s a crucial one. At Twello, we’re committed to changing this narrative every single day. We understand that the pressures of corporate life can be overwhelming, and that’s why we offer a diverse range of onsite and virtual classes specifically designed for employees grappling with stress and anxiety. Our catalog boasts over 20 different classes, ensuring that every team, regardless of its unique needs and challenges, finds the perfect fit for its mental health and wellness journey.
Our top 6 classes, specially curated to align with Bell Let’s Talk Day, are:
Mindfulness for Stress Reduction: This class teaches techniques to manage stress through mindfulness practices, helping employees find calm in the chaos of their workday.
Building Boundaries Between Work & Home: Essential for maintaining mental well-being, this class guides employees on how to effectively separate their professional and personal lives.
Resilience Training: This class empowers employees to develop resilience, enabling them to bounce back from setbacks with greater ease.
The Science of Gratitude Journaling: Gratitude may be the most accessible, affordable tool we have to increase optimism, emotional resilience, and happiness. You don’t need a pricey moleskine notebook to practice gratitude journaling, any piece of paper will work just fine!
Mindfulness 101: This introduction to mindfulness meditation is perfect for calming the mind and releasing stress. In this class, you will learn the subtle difference between mindfulness and meditation and how to bring mindfulness into your work and home life. This class is highly recommended as a start to any series of sessions.
Chair Yoga: This introduction to yoga is specially designed to be done from the comfort of your chair! It is perfect for beginners, even if the last time you touched your toes was a decade ago. These classes are taught by a registered yoga teacher. No yoga or special equipment required. Just bring yourself and a chair.
We recognize that eradicating stress entirely from the workplace is an unrealistic goal. However, equipping employees with the right tools to manage stress can make a significant difference. By investing time in these classes, you are not only aiding your employees in managing their current stress levels but also proactively building a more resilient and mentally healthy workforce for the future.
Incorporating these classes into your Bell Let’s Talk Day activities is more than just a one-day commitment; it’s a step towards cultivating a culture of continuous support and understanding within your organization. It’s about showing your employees that their mental health is a priority every day of the year.”
This expanded content adds more detail to each class offering and emphasizes the importance of ongoing mental health support in the workplace, aligning with the ethos of Bell Let’s Talk Day.
Book Now: Mindfulness For Stress Reduction
Book Now: Boundaries Between Work & Home
Book Now: Resilience 101 Training
Book Now: Science of Gratitude Journaling
Book Now: Mindfulness 101: Introduction
Book Now: Chair Yoga/ Mindful Movement
Fundraising for local mental health organizations is a meaningful way to participate in Bell Let’s Talk Day. Encouraging your team to rally behind a cause not only contributes to a greater good but also strengthens the sense of community and purpose within your company. You can select an organization that resonates with your team’s values or has a personal connection to someone in your workplace.
There are numerous creative and engaging ways to fundraise: organize a cinnamon bun sale in the office, host a 5 km walk or run event, or arrange a group volunteer day with a local mental health organization. These activities are not just fundraising opportunities; they also offer a chance for team building and fostering a more cohesive and connected work environment.
Here’s a short directory of reputable Canadian mental health organizations that you could consider supporting:
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): One of Canada’s most established mental health organizations, CMHA offers a range of services and supports to those experiencing mental health issues.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): CAMH is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centers in the area of addiction and mental health.
Kids Help Phone: Offering 24/7 counseling and information services for young people, Kids Help Phone is an invaluable resource for youth in Canada.
Mood Disorders Society of Canada: Focused on providing support, education, and advocacy for those affected by mood disorders.
The Strongest Families Institute: This organization delivers evidence-based services to children and families seeking help for mental health and other issues impacting health and well-being.
Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada: Dedicated to offering support and resources to those suffering from anxiety disorders.
MindYourMind: An organization focused on young adults, providing resources and tools to help manage mental health and wellness.
Homewood Health: A leader in mental health and addiction services, providing a broad spectrum of care for individuals and families across Canada.
Bellwood Health Services: Specializing in addiction treatment and mental health recovery, offering a variety of programs and services.
Wellness Together Canada: A mental health and substance use support portal offering free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals.
By choosing to support these organizations, your company not only contributes to the betterment of mental health services and awareness in Canada but also reinforces the importance of mental wellbeing in your workplace culture. This Bell Let’s Talk Day, make a difference in the lives of many by aligning your company’s efforts with these noble causes.
There are many ways you and your employees can participate in Bell Let’s Talk Day! Engaging is easier than ever before. Encourage your team to use their smartphones and interact with the Bell Let’s Talk hashtags, filters, or frames on popular social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
In addition to digital engagement, consider hanging informative and supportive posters around your office. These can spark conversations and show your commitment to mental health awareness. These visual prompts can be powerful reminders and conversation starters, reinforcing the importance of mental health in the workplace.
Your employees are likely to use at least one of these social media apps during the day, so why not make it count for a good cause? For each interaction with Bell Let’s Talk content, Bell donates 5 cents to mental health initiatives. Rally your team to participate, whether it’s through digital engagement or thoughtful discussions sparked by the posters. Every action counts towards making a significant difference.
Do not let Bell Let’s Talk Day be the only time your office ever hears the conversation about mental health and vulnerability. Use the momentum created by this day to continue the conversation.
Try blocking off a small amount of time each month to continue this conversation with your employees. This will be beneficial to create an overall more open environment and help you understand your employee’s mental health. You could consider bringing in a speaker for each month or adding an informative webinar.
Educate yourself and your employees on the myths around mental health. Take time to share new information revolving around this subject.
Are there any new good educational podcasts you can recommend for your employees? The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos is a strong option!
Commit to recognizing signs of stress in the workplace. Be present when checking in with your employees.
Make speaking about mental health a regular occurrence. Encourage your employees to share their thoughts and feelings, and be sure to empathize with them. Always continue learning and educating yourself and your employees.
Any of the actions spoken about in this blog can be held on any day, it does not have to be #BellLetsTalk day. Be the difference and make mental health a regular topic in your workplace. Collectively, we will be able to remove the stigma that follows mental health around.
Canadian Mental Health Hot-Lines:
Free and confidential mental health and substance use support is available 24/7.
Youth phone number: 686868
Adult phone number: 741741
United States National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with planning wellness sessions for your team, remember that you’re not alone. At Twello, we’re deeply committed to supporting your efforts in promoting mental health and wellness in the workplace.
Whether you’re looking for a one-off session to commemorate Bell Let’s Talk Day or seeking to introduce a continuous series of wellness activities in your organization, our team is here to assist you every step of the way.
We know it’s hard to create wellness programs that make a difference. We can work together to create a caring and helpful environment that meets your team’s needs and goals.
