Spotlight Q&A: National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Q: From your perspective at NAMI, what is the most pressing workforce challenge employers currently face regarding employee mental health and well-being?

A: Through our work with NAMI StigmaFree Workplace and insights from our 2026 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll, we see that stigma and fear of judgment are the top reasons employees are reluctant to share about their mental health at work. When employees don’t feel safe to share, they are less likely to get connected to appropriate resources like Employee Assistance Programs. Consistently modeling leadership, offering mental health and well-being trainings, and bringing in local resources, like a NAMI affiliate, can go a long way in bridging that gap.

Q: In our recent webinar, we tackled the critical topic of suicide prevention. Beyond crisis intervention, where can employers focus their efforts today to have the greatest preventative impact on workplace culture?

A: Building everyday cultures of connection and open dialogue about mental health is one of the most impactful steps employers can take to create a supportive work environment. NAMI StigmaFree Workplace emphasizes proactive education and manager training, which our 2026 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll shows are strongly linked to reduced burnout and earlier support-seeking. Creating a workplace culture where folks know they aren’t alone can go a long way.

Q: Managers are often the first line of support. What are some of the more subtle "red flags" or shifts in behavior a manager might notice that indicate a colleague is struggling and needs a supportive check-in?

A: Managers are in a unique position in that they know their team members well and they are also responsible for maintaining productivity. Supporting managers with training and resources that can help them identify “red flag” changes like withdrawal from team interactions, shifts in communication tone, decreased reliability, or uncharacteristic irritability. When managers can spot these differences early and check in with their team members to offer resources rather than disciplinary measures, it can make all the difference for an employee’s well-being. “You Can Ask” by NAMI is a great place to start when looking for workplace mental health training.

Q: In many industries, employees worry about how they will be perceived if they ask for help. How can leadership foster a sense of safety and trust so that workers feel comfortable using mental health or recovery resources without hesitation?

A: Leaders build trust by modeling openness through sharing about their own mental health, protecting confidentiality of employees who share privately, and consistently reinforcing that utilizing mental health support is a strength, not a liability. The 2026 NAMI Workplace Mental Health Poll highlights that 75% of U.S. workers believe it is leadership’s responsibility to cultivate an environment of comfort around mental health at work. With only 54% of employees reporting that they feel their company makes mental health a priority, it’s clear that we can do more.

Q: If an employer wants to signal today that their team's mental health is a top priority, what is one low-cost or "low-lift" action they can take to start shifting the culture?

A: One powerful, no-cost step leaders or managers can take is to openly discuss the importance of maintaining mental health in a team setting, like an all-staff meeting, and regularly highlight the resources available to employees, including details on how and why an employee would access that resource. Even more powerful is a leader sharing an example of when they utilized a mental health resource, like reaching out to the Employee Assistance Program for help through a period of grief or high stress. NAMI StigmaFree Workplace demonstrates that consistent, visible messaging can quickly begin to normalize help-seeking and reduce stigma.

Q: Employers don’t have to do this alone. How do partnerships with community resources or organizations like NAMI help strengthen a company’s internal support system?

A: Partnerships with organizations like NAMI extend an employer’s impact by bringing trusted resources, evidence-based training, and community connection into the workplace. Through NAMI StigmaFree Workplace, we work with employers to bring destigmatizing mental health language and training to managers and employees, which strengthens company culture, while ensuring that employees have access to support beyond the workplace like their local NAMI affiliate or state organization.

• Learn more about NAMI
• Explore the NAMI StigmaFree Workplace

This Spotlight Q&A was featured in EARN's May 2026 Newsletter.

EARN is fully funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy under Cooperative Agreement No. 23475OD000002-01-00 with Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, in the amount of $11,000,000.

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