Every October, World Mental Health Day reminds us that well-being is not a luxury but a necessity. This year, we marked the day with a dedicated session led by Maria Teresa Barrote, Senior HR Operations Manager, to reflect on balance, time, and well-being in the workplace.
Maria opened with a reminder that set the tone for the session:
“Taking care of mental health isn’t selfish; it helps you show up better for yourself, your work, and your team.”
Remote and hybrid work environments bring both opportunities and challenges. From blurred boundaries to increased screen time and feelings of isolation, the risk of neglecting mental well-being is real. That’s why we created space for reflection, conversation, and practical strategies to support healthier ways of working.
From Directive to Reality: Transparency Requires Clean Data
In theory, pay transparency sounds straightforward: publish salary ranges, analyze gaps, and ensure equity.
In practice, it requires a level of data visibility that many organizations lack.
To comply with the Directive, your company needs:
- Clear job architecture: aligned titles, levels, and classifications
- Accurate compensation factors: base pay, bonuses, allowances, benefits, and variables
- Unified workforce data: including information across geographies, payroll systems, and HR platforms
Without these, transparency turns more into guesswork than certainty.
Why Mental Health Matters at Work
In today’s work environment, employees often juggle multiple roles while navigating challenges like:
- Isolation in remote setups
- Blurred work-life boundaries
- Screen fatigue and poor ergonomics
- Pressure to stay always “on”
When these pressures go unchecked, they can lead to burnout, disengagement, or even turnover. On the other hand, prioritising balance benefits everyone, sustaining productivity, sparking creativity, and fostering stronger relationships.
At Coreteam, we consider mental health not just as a topic for awareness days; it’s part of building our workplace culture where wellbeing and performance go hand in hand.
Highlights from Our Mental Health Session
The workshop, titled “Your Mind Matters, Even Miles Apart,” created a safe space for employees to reflect and share. Through interactive check-ins, Maria reminded us that small, intentional actions can make a big difference.
She shared five practical tips to support daily well-being:
- Create Healthy Work Boundaries
Set a clear end to your workday with rituals like shutting your laptop at 6 PM. - Move Your Body & Rest Your Eyes
Take short walks or stretch between meetings and follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. - Stay Connected with Colleagues
Schedule regular calls and check-ins. As Maria noted, “Without them, months can pass without speaking to a colleague.” - Practice Micro-Mindfulness
Try a one-minute breathing exercise or pause before starting a task. - Ask for Support Early
As our CEO, Paul Bhogal, shared:
“Don’t look at this as support. Look at it as progress, development, and growth as a human.”. Whether it’s a peer, manager, or professional resource, reaching out is a strength, not a weakness.
Putting These Tips Into Practice
The beauty of these strategies is that they are simple, actionable, and easy to weave into daily routines:
- Laptop shut ritual → signals the transition from work to personal time.
- 20-20-20 rule → reduces digital eye strain.
- Quick “How are you?” calls → strengthen team connections.
- 1-minute mindfulness breaks → improve focus.
- Seeking help without stigma → builds resilience and openness.
Maria encouraged everyone to commit to just one new habit this week. These micro-habits, when practiced consistently, add up to meaningful change.
Balance Is a Necessity, Not a Luxury
When organisations neglect wellbeing, the cost is high: burnout, turnover, and declining engagement.
But when balance is prioritised, the benefits ripple outward to healthier teams, stronger collaboration, and long-term organisational success.
As Maria reminded us:
“Being vulnerable and acknowledging our struggles is not a weakness. It’s a sign of strength.”
We believe that well-being is at the heart of performance. Supporting employees’ mental health is not just the right thing to do; it’s essential to building resilient, innovative, and successful teams.
Listening to the Pulse of Our People
As part of our ongoing focus on well-being, we also took a moment to check in with our team about something lighter, our Friday Coffee sessions.
These weekly catch-ups have long been a space to unwind, connect, and share a laugh beyond work. But this time, we ran a short opinion poll to learn which activities everyone enjoyed the most and how they preferred to spend this time together.
The results reflected the heart of our culture, a team that values both fun and mindfulness. From virtual games and online cooking sessions to stress-burnout meditation and team walks, everyone had their favourites.
What stood out most was how much these Fridays mean to our people, as a moment to reconnect as individuals, recharge, and celebrate the little joys that make teamwork meaningful.
Conclusion
We encourage every employee and every reader to pick one small step to balance this week. Whether it’s pausing for a stretch, calling a teammate, or setting a boundary, small actions create big impact.
We are committed to championing workplace wellbeing and fostering a culture where balance is both encouraged and celebrated.
Better balance builds better people, better teams, and better workplaces.
