Promoting mental health among younger employees: a responsive evaluation of the “stress or bless” intervention, balancing performance pressure and well-being

Abstract

Purpose – Mental health issues are highly prevalent among younger employees, yet evidence of worksite health promotion interventions targeting this group is scarce. Design/methodology/approach – The “Stress or Bless” intervention trained younger employees as change agents to identify mental health challenges and develop actionable plans within their organizations. This responsive evaluation explored key themes for worksite mental health promotion and understand factors influencing implementation in two organizations (care and public service). Data sources included interviews with change agents, participant observations, document analyses of intervention materials, and interviews with past participants. We analyzed data inductively and deductively using the JD-R model for themes and Normalization Process Theory for implementation factors. Findings – High workload emerged as a central theme, exacerbated by staff shortages and administrative burdens in the care organization versus organizational culture in the public service organization. Key facilitators for implementation were shared support for addressing workplace mental health among younger employees and the presence of a younger employee association to sustain intervention practices and organize feedback on mental health to the organization. Participants’ reflections during interviews and observations suggest that the Stress or Bless intervention increased awareness of the link between organization-specific job characteristics and younger employees’ mental health, and placed this on the organizational agenda. Originality/value – This study highlights the value of involving younger employees as change agents in promoting workplace mental health and identifies critical factors to inform interventions that address employees’ needs across the life course.