Ep. 604 Well‑Being at Work: Observing Mental Health Awareness Month

Rancho Mesa Marketing & Media Communications Specialist Megan Lockhart and Client Technology Specialist, Brenda Colby sit down to talk about ways you can support your employees during mental health awareness month.

Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Rancho Mesa's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, RM365 HR Advantage™ Portal

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Megan Lockhart

Guest: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Brenda Colby

Editor: Jadyn Brandt

Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “Breaking News Intro” by nem0production

© Copyright 2026. Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Megan Lockhart: You’re listening to Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ podcast, where each week we break down complex insurance and safety topics to help your business thrive.  I’m your host, Megan Lockhart, and I’m joined by Brenda Colby, Client Technology Specialist with Rancho Mesa, and we’re going to talk about ways you can support your employees during mental health awareness month. So Brenda, welcome to the show.

Brenda Colby: Thanks Megan, happy to be here.

ML: Since 1949, May has been recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. And this is a great opportunity to update and remind your employees of resources available in through your organization.

So Brenda, why is Mental Health Awareness Month important, and what do the statistics from organizations like the CDC and World Health Organization tell us about the scope of mental health challenges today?

BC: Well, the CDC reports over half of all of the people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lives. And the repercussions have serious effects for everyone. The World Health Organization (or WHO) reports conditions like anxiety and depression lead to a trillion dollars worth of lost productivity worldwide, every year.

ML: Yeah that seems like something worth trying to prevent. So how does investing in employee mental health benefit both employees and employers, particularly in terms of productivity and return on investment?

BC: Well, both employers and employees benefit when mental health is addressed in the workplace, and when proper resources are available to support staff members who may be struggling. In fact, the WHO also found that for every $1 invested into treatment for depression and anxiety, there is a return of $4 in improved health and ability to work.

ML: Okay, so what practical steps can employers take to support mental health in the workplace, and how do tools like the RM365 HRAdvantage™ portal help organizations do this effectively?

BC: So, within the HR portal, clients can access law overviews, Q&As, and guides on mental health support.

Some of the ways our HR experts recommend employers provide support to their employees include: offering paid time off, mental health benefits, and flexible schedules, offering an Employee Assistance Program (or EAP), and making accommodations when possible.

Clients can also submit HR questions to a live expert through the HR portal.

ML:  Yeah those sound like some great resources that our clients should take advantage of. So, Brenda, if listeners have questions about accessing our HR portal for mental health resources, what’s the best way to get in touch with you?

BC: As always, clients can contact me at bcolby@ranchomesa.com or call me directly at (619) 486-6562.

ML: Brenda, thank you for joining us in StudioOne.

BC: Thanks for having me.

ML: Thanks for tuning in to our latest episode produced by StudioOne. If you enjoyed what you heard, please share this episode and subscribe. For more insights like this, visit us at ranchomesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.