Current Mental Health Trends Around Us and ERG Initiatives

Following this "Four Care" framework, here are some examples of Dentsu Inc.'s initiatives.

For example, "Self-Care" includes stress checks and associated consultations with company doctors. An example of "Line Management Care" is the monthly 1-on-1 meeting with supervisors. Held regularly as a growth support opportunity, it is valued not only for career discussions but also as a chance to share plans for taking planned leave and personal matters.

"Care by Workplace Industrial Health Staff" includes initiatives like new employee training and supervisor training, support for returning to work, interview guidance for employees working long hours, and a health consultation desk where employees can directly consult with the company doctor.

Additionally, the top of the homepage on the internal portal, which employees log into daily, features a "Consultation Desk" icon. This compiles case-specific internal and external consultation resources.

Beyond these systems, numerous initiatives unique to Dentsu Inc. are implemented, primarily driven by HR, general affairs departments, and frontline employees.
Here is one example.

・Providing breakfast to start the day energetically
・Loaning smart devices for sleep and fitness management
・Distribution of vouchers for the company cafe to promote team communication
・New employee training sessions led by company doctors and second-year employees, focusing on the theme of "breaks"
・Group activities and advice on exercise and diet led by public health nurses
・Expansion of community spaces for casual conversation across departments and positions
・Events themed around efficient rest learned from top athletes
・Events centered on sleep

These initiatives, reflecting both management's commitment and frontline voices, represent a truly Dentsu Inc.-style "customized support system," wouldn't you agree?

※2＝Line refers to managers such as department heads and section chiefs

While the contribution of traditional mental health systems supported by experts has been, and will continue to be, significant, a trend has emerged in recent years beyond these systems. This involves "individual initiatives" centered on information sharing by non-expert members (such as creating environments through interactions between individual members or ERGs).

For example, the often-mentioned "psychological safety" refers to creating a workplace environment where individual members feel they can freely express their opinions or take risks.

As a representative initiative, Dentsu Inc. Mental Health Lab holds a "Mental Health Cafe" every two months during lunch breaks. This cafe gathers around 10 employees from within the group who have experienced mental health challenges (a peer group) each time to share their experiences and feelings. Clinical psychologist and medical doctor, Dr. Tetsuji Sawa, participates as a supervisor.

Held regularly online since 2022, the 18th session took place in November 2024.

Mental health issues vary greatly from person to person in terms of causes, symptoms, and coping methods. The Mental Health Café is not a place for general discussions or solutions. Instead, it is a time to listen to one person's personal story and feelings, to empathize, and to reflect on themes that often have no clear answers. Speaking is never forced. As a result, participants may become deep in thought, hesitate to speak, or have pauses in conversation. We value silence as an important part of this time for self-reflection, without pressure to speak.

We strive to maintain a safe environment with ground rules like confidentiality and directing inquiries to official company channels. We hope it becomes a place where participants can find some relief from anxiety or gain new insights.

Feedback from past participants includes:
* "Just knowing this kind of space exists within the company gives me a sense of security."
・"I was finally able to voice my true feelings, things I'd never shared with anyone before."
・"After getting my job offer, I searched 'Dentsu Inc. Mental Health' and found this lab and cafe. It made me feel confident about joining the company."
These are some of the comments we've received.

At Dentsu Inc. Mental Health Lab, we aim to build a customized culture and foundation for mental health within the company, based on the voices of employees who are not specialists.
However, running a mental health cafe is no simple task.

Even with a clinical psychologist present, for the lab members running it, this is work outside their professional expertise, and it involves sharing sensitive personal health information.

The organizers themselves are also individuals affected by mental health challenges. Consequently, they constantly face fears of criticism—such as being perceived by non-participants as "just a place where people with issues commiserate"—and anxieties like "What if no one shows up?" Participants also share concerns before attending, such as "I was worried about whether I could talk freely if someone I knew was there."

Yet, we also feel that precisely because we are individuals directly affected by mental health challenges, we can take on this challenge.

By creating spaces where mental health can be discussed openly, listening to those directly affected, and carefully sharing their voices, we can build a society where mental health is a shared concern. Through the lab's activities, I'm beginning to sense this possibility.

We hope for a world where mental health struggles, still often difficult to share with anyone, become something everyone can relate to personally. We hope for an era where talking about mental health is as casual and easy as discussing your favorite idol or what to have for lunch today.

At Dentsu Mental Health Lab, we plan and implement initiatives beyond Mental Health Cafés. These include dialogue events within our group featuring individuals who have experienced mental health challenges and psychosomatic medicine specialists, as well as mental health training for managers based on the voices of those directly affected. Our goal is to enable people to work authentically despite mental health issues and associated limitations, and to reduce stigma surrounding mental health challenges.

While there are no quick-fix solutions, we are committed to steadily creating opportunities and expanding these initiatives beyond our company.