Our outreach tends to focus on employers in high stress industries that have a large presence in NYC – that includes social services and nonprofits, real estate and construction, legal and business services, media and tech, to name a few. In addition, we have found that employers with 50 or more employees tend have the infrastructure, like a dedicated HR team, needed to actually implement a workplace mental health innovation.  

All that said, our goal is to transform the way employees can learn about mental health, receive support, or access mental health care so we will not turn any employer away, provided the organization has an office in the 5 boroughs.

What does the timeline look like for a partner in the Thrive In Your Workplace program (I.e. if a business reaches out in September, what would it look like for them to work hand-in-hand with the TWP team from a timing perspective to enact programming)?

The length of the engagement really depends on the employer and how quickly they choose to move through the assessment and implementation process, but typically spans 3-9 months. 

 Our program is centered on a research-driven Workplace Mental Health assessment that enables us to understand the employers’ priorities and context as they pertain to workplace mental health, and to then recommend workplace mental innovations from our evidence-informed toolkit. From there, employers may opt-in to free technical assistance (webinars and 1:1 consultation) to operationalize and measure new strategies.

Our goal is to drive employers towards the adoption of at least 1 (at minimum) new workplace
mental health policy or program so we are available to support employers for as long as it takes to do so. 

Outside of TWP’s program to help encourage mental health support in the workplace, if someone is on the fence about whether or not they should reach out to NYC Well, what would you say to encourage them to give it a try?

I would say that NYC Well is free and confidential, so there is no risk in reaching out.  NYC Well receives calls from all different types of people – from those who are struggling with daily stress to those who are in crisis – and their staff is well-equipped to respond to a range
of needs and challenges. 

 In addition to providing 1:1 counseling, NYC Well can refer callers or texters to a mental health or other provider, so it’s a low-risk, rich resource at any New Yorkers’ fingertips. 

What's coming up next for the Thrive In Your Workplace program?

We are excited to roll out a series of Employer Engagement events this fall that will be designed to reflect and addresses the needs of specific industries. We see these events as opportunities for employers to learn about workplace mental health, connect and learn from their peers, and understand the range of possibilities for their organizations. Our hope is that employer participants will ultimately join the cadre of industry leaders already engaged with TWP. 

How can we best stay up-to-date with you?

Feel free to drop me a note at spauze@thrive.nyc.gov to learn more about joining TWP or get added to our newsletter mailing list.