Cultivating a Culture of Wellness in 2023

Workplace health and well-being have risen to the forefront of topics most important to business leaders post-pandemic. Together, we can build healthier workplaces and communities that allow Hawaii’s employees to thrive. May is Mental Health Awareness month. Chamber of Commerce Hawaii aims to raise awareness and create meaningful dialogue to increase mental health resources within our business community- both now and well into the future. We will share podcast episodes from our mental health mini-series, event information, and other important resources as they relate to cultivating a culture of wellness within our workplaces and communities.

Podcasts

The Chamber hosted a Mental Health Mini-Series on the Voice of Business podcast in May 2023. We invite you to listen to various community leaders as they discuss the importance of mental health awareness as they relate to our individual health and happiness, out workplaces and our community.

EPISODE 1: May 1, 2023
In today’s shifting workforce environment, it is critical for business leaders to cultivate a culture of workplace wellness within their organizations. In this kick-off episode to our Mental Health Awareness Month Mini-Series, host Katie Kaahanui sits down with Chamber President & CEO Sherry Menor-McNamara to discuss why mental health awareness should be a primary focus for our business community.

EPISODE 2: May 8, 2023
Nationally, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience a degree of intimate partner violence in a given year. Equating to more than 10 million people impacted by domestic violence annually, a large number of survivors continue to make up our nation’s workforce. In this episode, Nanci Kreidman, CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Center and a tireless advocate for domestic violence awareness for four decades, joins host Katie Kaahanui to dive deeper into the reality of how common domestic violence issues are within our local business community and how our workplaces can serve as a unique place to support employees and provide critically needed resources.

Tune in to learn why domestic violence awareness is a not commonly discussed, yet pivotally important issue for our business leaders to be aware about and get connected to existing community resources for people who are ready to get assistance, right now.

EPISODE 3: May 15, 2023
Hawaii’s new Office of Wellness and Resilience is the first of its kind in the nation, tasked with the important work of helping residents work through personal trauma and other mental health issues through an intentional, trauma-informed lens. Join us as host Katie Kaahanui speaks with Tia Roberts-Hartsock, Director for the Office of Wellness and Resilience to learn more about what trauma-informed framework looks like, and how the state is beginning to pave the way in showing that addressing society’s issues at its root can have positive, long-lasting results when it comes to preventing future instances of crime, substance abuse, and homelessness.

EPISODE 4: May 22, 2023
Mental health awareness is a topic that benefits people in all walks of life, and Mental Health America Hawaii works to ensure that everyone has access to the tools and support needed to thrive. Join us as host Katie Kaahanui sits down with Dr. Mestisa Gass, Program Director at Mental Health America Hawaii to learn more about recent, eye-opening workplace mental health statistics and explore ways our local business leaders can incorporate mental health practices into the daily lives of not only themselves, but their teams.

Interested in being an advocate for mental health and not sure where to start? Tune in to learn how to serve our community and become a voice for mental health awareness in a variety of ways.

Resources

• Mental Health Resources for Businesses 
  The Check-In Project
• Offering Benefits That Matter
  Mental Health America 
• Integrating Wellness Into the Workplace
  Mental Health America
• Creating a Culture of Support
  Mental Health America
• Chamber Embraces Mental Health as Business Issue
  Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives