As we all know that the past two years have been so miserable that it made all of us moan for health and stability. For over 70 years, we have been working to ensure that mental health is treated on a par with physical health. The rapid outbreak of a barely known virus turned each one of our lives into a living hell. Mental health problems exist in our lives, families, workplaces, and communities, impacting everyone. We must do as much as possible to prevent mental ill-health as individuals and as a society.According to WHO, every year around 700000 people die due to suicide, globally, such as economic downfall, domestic violence, drug abuse, emotional abuse, and family issues leading to psychological disorders and depression both in children and adults. Past consecutive years have been financially stressful, which has smashed the socio-economic threshold and triggered around 77 percent of suicide in low and middle-income countries. Even today in such circumstances people are ashamed of taking mental support.

Richard Hunter, the World Federation of Mental Health's deputy secretary-general at the time, oversaw the establishment of World Mental Health Day in 1992. Growing mental distress is equally attributable to our society, as discussing mental health issues openly is still seen as a 'inappropriate' habit. People frequently overlook the reality that psychological distress is common, just like physical illness. In 1994, Eugene Brody, who was the secretary general at the time, suggested for the first time that World Mental Health Day be marked with a theme. The conference's main theme was `Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World'.

Influencer marketing is one of the emerging form of innovative marketing which uses social media influencer endorsements to help firms raise their brand awareness & sales

Many aspects of mental health have been challenged, and already before the pandemic in 2019, an estimated one in eight people globally was living with a mental disorder. Since that time, there have been significantly fewer resources for mental health than there have been for physical health, particularly in low- and middle income nations. The scope of Mental Health Day has grown throughout time. The conversation expanded to include topics like women, children, health, and employment, and as a result, the typical person is now better knowledgeable about mental health. Spreading digital consciousness is another initiative proposed by `World Health Organisation' to improve mental quality.The COVID-19 epidemic has sparked a global mental health catastrophe, causing millions of people to experience short and long term stress and jeopardising their mental health. According to estimates, during the first year of the epidemic, both anxiety and depression disorders increased by more than 25 percent. The gap in treatment for mental health disorders has expanded while mental health services have been severely interrupted.

Here are a few Industry people who talk on World Mental Health Day
Harshvendra Soin, Global Chief People Officer and Head - Marketing, Tech Mahindra
"Today, organizations are focusing to create an environment where employees can meaningfully contribute and become the best versions of themselves. At Tech Mahindra, we believe in `Wellness before Business' and have rolled out several #Wellness First initiatives to build a happier, healthier, and more productive workplace culture. We have in place Employee Assistance Program to provide 24*7 counseling support with expert counselors and coaches for emotional and mental health concerns; Emotional Wellness Self-Assessment Tools like Emotional Wellness Test for employees to assess their stress levels; AMIGO Program and People Care Manager Program to sensitize managers and build psychological safety at workplace, among others. We truly believe that organizations that focus on employee well-being and employee happiness are more productive".

Sqn Ldr Dimple Rawat(Retd), Director - HR, Barco India
"At Barco, we prioritize the safety and well-being of our employees and strive to establish a healthy work culture, where people feel safe and cared for. On World Mental Health Day, we plan to organize an interactive, knowledge-sharing session on digital detox. The session will be an opportunity for employees to share their queries and challenges and enhance their mental well-being over the longer term. We believe that a healthy workforce helps in building a productive, efficient, and resilient work environment".

Rajalakshmi Sivanand, Head of People & Culture, Compass IDC
"As we step into a dynamic work environment, it's imperative to reimagine workspace culture. Today organizations realize the importance of an integrated multicultural and inclusive work environment to foster employee well-being. At Compass, we approach employee interventions with curated projects like celebrating employee milestones, specialized medical counseling sessions, employee wellness sessions, virtual yoga, along with other initiatives that support and boost overall productivity and performance. These cultural interventions have been introduced in line with our ethos that focuses on building a technology enabled conducive workplace where dreams are made".

Agendra Kumar, Managing Director, Esri India
"Overall well-being is an essential element of a well developed, productive persona. At Esri India, we have built a people centric culture, where trust and mutual respect are important pillars. As we prepare to celebrate World Mental Health Day, we have launched an internal campaign, `Your Well Being Mantra'. The pandemic accentuated the need for holistic wellness at the workplace and with this initiative, we aim to promote a culture of open conversations and idea sharing. This, we believe, will help in creating a more collaborative and positive environment for our employees".