Mental Health Week: How to break the taboo

Addressing mental health systematically: a Mental Health Week is a structured BGM building block that breaks the taboo – and builds the bridge to the risk assessment of psychological strain.

Why a fixed occasion lowers the barrier Talking about strain is hard as long as it's seen as an individual problem. A themed week shifts it into the collective: suddenly everyone's talking about it, because this is "the week for it." This shared occasion removes the stigma from the topic and makes the first step much easier for individuals.

What makes an effective week A mix of low-threshold and in-depth elements has proven effective: brief daily impulses that don't overwhelm anyone, an open – ideally anonymous – conversation offer with experts, and a component that specifically addresses managers. Because attitude starts at the top: when supervisors take the topic seriously, teams find the courage too.

The right timing and the follow-through The format has the greatest resonance around World Mental Health Day in October. It's important not to think of the week as a one-off flare-up: it's the visible kickoff that should be followed by lasting, quiet offerings – from the mindfulness minute to clear points of contact. That's how an event becomes a culture change.