Mental Health and Corporate Communications: A Guide for Journalists and Newsrooms

Mental health issues are often perceived as a taboo—something that should not be discussed, especially at work.

However, one in four people worldwide experiences mental health issues. These issues affect us all, and we should feel empowered to speak about them, seek support, or receive professional help. The more dialogue we have, the more myths we can dispel and the more barriers we can break, ending the isolation, shame, and sense of inferiority often felt by those facing mental health struggles.

Caring for mental health within a media organization and creating a supportive environment for journalists—one that strengthens stress resilience and teaches self-care and care for others—not only promotes the physical and emotional health and recovery of team members but also increases employee loyalty, productivity, and engagement.

What is mental health? It is the "core" of human health: a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual can realize their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to their community (World Health Organization).

Why is it important to develop a culture of mental health care at the level of a media organization?

Studies show that three out of five employees experience work-related mental health issues (Business in the Community (2017). Mental Health report: National employee mental wellbeing survey findings).

Multitasking, unstable and intense work schedules, focusing on emotionally difficult topics, and attacks or harassment related to professional activities—these specific aspects of a journalist's work can cause significant stress, increase anxiety, contribute to emotional burnout, and worsen both physical and mental health.

According to research:

up to 80% of journalists have experienced a work-related traumatic event (The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma);
31% reported receiving threats within a year (Löfgren Nilsson & Örnebring, 2016, Sweden);
21.9% of female journalists reported experiencing physical violence in connection with their work (Barton & Storm, 2016).

By its very nature, journalism is often associated with pressure, and stress is the single greatest health issue facing workers in the media sector (National Union of Journalists, NUJ, UK).

It is estimated that each case of stress-related illness leads to an average loss of 30.9 working days per year (WHO, 2019, facts about mental health).

At the same time, effective practices exist for caring for an employee's mental health. One can start with simple, small steps that everyone can take to look after their own well-being and that of their colleagues. Below, we offer a series of recommendations designed to reduce the impact of stressors and help journalists care for their mental health and emotional well-being.

Promoting mental health at work includes two components:

1) strengthening psychological resilience (resilience, ability to cope with difficulties and grow) at the personal level;

2) creating a supportive work environment and people-centered processes.

I. Strengthening psychological resilience

Interventions regarding stress and mental health at work can increase productivity by 30% (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2009).

Reporters, photographers, videographers, designers, and other newsroom staff can experience traumatic stress during any news event—regardless of whether they are on the scene or at their desks. Therefore, it is important to provide systemic support for the media team regarding mental health issues to help oneself and one's colleagues during difficult moments.

Team support may include:

encouraging participation in resilience training and mastering emotional regulation techniques;
encouraging colleagues to discuss mental health issues. One option is to organize basic peer-to-peer support, where team members can call each other or the editor-in-chief if they need support. Sometimes it is enough simply to agree on this—encourage maintaining connections between colleagues, especially when covering difficult events. Reminding each other of the value and importance of their work and feeling the support of those nearby provides the strength to cope with difficulties. When colleagues are working on a heavy story, let them know they do not have to hide their stress, feelings, or emotions during these moments. Create an environment of trust in the newsroom where the importance of acknowledging and expressing difficult feelings is recognized. Mental health issues should not be perceived as something to be ashamed of or "uncomfortable" to talk about. Another option is to implement mentoring practices: according to research, younger journalists experience higher stress levels and slower recovery than older journalists;
creating an "emergency contact network" for your newsroom. This contact list should include a clear protocol on whom to call during specific or traumatic events. This algorithm should be accessible to all employees;
providing easy-to-understand and clear algorithms for self-care and caring for colleagues, as well as basic emotional regulation methods—for example, in the form of portable cards and/or posters on the newsroom walls.

Understand when the editorial team needs expert help

Train your employees to monitor for symptoms of professional burnout or mental health issues—the more people in your environment are aware of the initial "red flags," the easier it will be to ensure they receive the necessary help.

Below is a list of signs that require the attention of specialists:

severing ties with your usual social circle—avoiding loved ones and friends or losing the desire to communicate;
changes in work behavior—for example, arriving at work very early or staying until late at night;
intrusive thoughts and obsession with a particular topic;
neglecting personal hygiene and physical appearance;
difficulty concentrating, memory impairment, problems making decisions, or difficulty maintaining a conversation;
feelings of panic and constant anxiety;
persistent fatigue and difficulty with self-organization;
prolonged periods of feeling down, indifference, and a loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed;
self-blame and a constant sense of guilt;
sudden mood swings without apparent cause;
changes in eating habits or appetite, and an increase in the frequency of smoking or alcohol consumption.

Any of these signs serves as a signal that a consultation and evaluation by a specialist are needed, especially if such symptoms persist for more than two weeks.

However, if you notice changes in the behavior or appearance of a fellow journalist, do not jump to conclusions about their mental health. If you feel ready, offer to talk over coffee somewhere outside of work—be open, non-judgmental, and ask open-ended questions. At the same time, it is important to understand that this person may already be receiving help or may not wish to share their experiences with you; that is also perfectly normal.

II. Creating a supportive environment and people-centered processes

Among the components of forming a supportive environment in the editorial office are:

awareness of work-related risk factors and their control;
defined principles of corporate communication and their adherence;
transparent internal processes and people-oriented services;
a culture of zero tolerance for stigma, including awareness of the most common mental disorders and myths surrounding this topic, adherence to the principles of correct interaction with colleagues with mental health problems.

Mental health risk factors associated with journalistic work:

workload (both excessive and insufficient);
lack of participation and control in the workplace;
monotonous or unpleasant tasks;
role ambiguity or conflict;
lack of recognition at work;
inequality;
poor interpersonal relationships;
poor working conditions;
weak leadership/management and communication;
conflict between home and work needs.

All of them require the attention of the editorial team's top management.

Principles of corporate communication for journalists

Building psychological safety, trust, and interpersonal relationships is the foundation for a well-coordinated media team. Measuring the "temperature" of the newsroom helps in understanding colleagues better, developing empathy, and placing humanity, sincerity, and trust at the core of cooperation.

For example, a simple and effective tool for this is the "check-in & check-out":

Whenever possible, start and end workdays with friendly team check-ins and check-outs, where each team member briefly answers a question about their current state and mood. This helps establish focus, increase self-awareness, and bring clarity to the emotional state of each participant, allowing for more effective collaboration.

Create a space in the newsroom where the team can speak out about what worries them.

Initiate dedicated meetings where the team can discuss:

a problem that exists in the organization but no one dares to bring up;
something that happened long ago but the team is still struggling to cope with.

A "Q&A" work box into which the team can drop any questions throughout the week, and top managers, owners, or investors provide answers by the end of the week. This is an opportunity to ask a question and get a response without the fear of appearing incompetent. Develop a culture in your newsroom where "there are no stupid or inconvenient questions."

Feedback sessions and developing a culture of feedback.

This increases the understanding of team members' actions and moods, providing an opportunity to respond correctly to both positive and negative actions from colleagues.

Quality feedback can be built using the following algorithm:

Observation: describe the situation based on specific facts;
Impact: communicate what the person's action led to—whether the consequences were positive or negative;
Suggestion: provide support, encourage them to continue at the same pace, or offer a solution to a difficult situation.

Transparent internal processes and people-oriented services.

Work tasks in the newsroom:

set reasonable and agreed-upon deadlines for implementation and completion of work;
provide a suitable working environment;
define work roles and responsibilities as clearly and in as much detail as possible;
involve employees in planning their workload wherever possible.

Goals: establish goals and priorities at the organizational and team levels so that everyone focuses on what truly matters. It is important that goals are formulated according to SMART criteria, defined collectively within the newsroom.

Work schedule: plan clear working hours (start time, end time, and lunch breaks) and add them to the calendar so that your media team understands exactly when you are available.

Know your "natural clock" and try to adjust your work rhythm accordingly. Choosing the best time to perform a specific task depends on the nature of that work; every task has its own golden hour. Both team members and management should remain mindful of these personal characteristics and, whenever possible, take them into account when organizing the workflow.

"Recovery breaks": make it a habit to get up and walk for 5 minutes after every hour of work—this promotes better recovery and improves concentration. The most effective ways to relieve stress and boost your mood during the workday are short activity breaks, as well as so-called social pauses, where colleagues talk about topics unrelated to work.

Ensure that employees have at least a half-hour lunch break and encourage them to spend it away from their desks. Ideally, combine lunch with a walk. On a personal level, reward yourself for your achievements. We often tend to focus on what needs to be done next and forget to reward ourselves for what we have already accomplished. At the newsroom level, implement a practice of recognition. Employees in organizations with a well-developed culture of recognition are more satisfied with their work and feel valued. Participate in and engage with professional associations, such as independent media unions and the National Press Club, and strive for professional journalism awards.

People-oriented services in a media organization. Specifically:

simplify the technological process of content preparation as much as possible;
use electronic services for editing and approving journalistic products at all levels of the organization;
create a convenient system for tracking and organizing the material and technical support of the media team's work processes.

Organizational design:

Ensure that the workplace and environment are suitable for preparing editorial materials. Noise, temperature, and lighting levels can all affect well-being. Where possible, consider space dividers and quiet areas to improve the working environment; ensure that there are clear and regular communication channels with remote employees that do not create a situation where a person is expected to be online or on call 24/7. Constant preoccupation with work-related matters contributes to rapid professional burnout. Employees must have time for reflection, other activities, and interests outside of work. This also applies to team members who currently do not have a family, children, etc. Not having family commitments does not mean an absence of interests beyond work. Switching to other activities is necessary for everyone, regardless of their marital status.
Remember that a journalist's emotional and psychological state influences their assessment of a situation, and for high-quality professional activity, it is vital to maintain internal balance and stay focused. Furthermore, the way a journalist covers a story, interviews sources, and presents information can have various impacts on both those directly involved in the event and the general public. Thus, the importance of a journalist's good mental health goes beyond the personal well-being of an individual and carries significant social importance.

Recommendations for the Independent Media Council were prepared by:
Anastasiia Nizhnik, psychotherapist-consultant, co-founder of the "BrainCult" Center for Development and Psychotherapy and the "Resilience Hub" platform.
Andrii Sydorenko, coordinator of mental health programs for journalists at the "Souspilnist" Foundation, co-founder of the "Resilience Hub" platform.