A challenge to you on World Mental Health Day

I recently read an article that claimed the average person will spend one-third of their life at work[i] – that is roughly 900,000 hours over a lifetime! In fact, I’m sitting in our office open space as I type this and when I think about the popularity of hybrid working factored in, I guess this stat is not very surprising.  

In truth, it’s no secret that with working between the office and home continuing beyond the pandemic for many, personal and professional lives are becoming even more intertwined.  

With the lines blurring, it got me thinking: how can we practically bring our best selves to work? And in the same respect, how do we keep the right energy reserved to be ‘present’ around friends and family when we’re not in productivity mode? If I could split myself into two people to do this, I sometimes think I would!  

The simplest answer though is self-care. On World Mental Health Day, I’m challenging anyone reading this (plus my friends and colleagues in Consumer Healthcare at Sanofi!) to take five minutes to pay attention to their own and others’ mental wellness. And what I mean by this is: how our stress levels are, how well we slept last night, how well our ability to focus serves us.  

Life is so busy, and it can be difficult to pause for a moment, but I promise you that this is an underrated point of reflection and let me share some insights.  

The domino effect 

You see, symptoms such as stress and sleep quality can be easily managed by having a general awareness of when things start to feel different – a little out of the ordinary. This is when it is crucial to take action: whether it be blocking out a regular hour in our diaries to exercise or get fresh air on a lunchtime walk or winding down one hour earlier at night with a ‘tech ban’ in our bedrooms.  

It's when stress or poor sleep creep beyond these initial levels, that it can have a serious knock-on effect to other aspects of our health and wellbeing.  

In Europe, stress is the second most common work-related health problem after back problems[ii] – which has an impact on sleep, productivity and focus.   

There’s always a risk of missing those initial signs if you don’t take a moment to listen to what your body is telling you. 

All Well at Sanofi 

At Sanofi we’ve always had a strong belief in the duty of care we have to our employees. We want everyone to feel motivated to take their health into their own hands. It’s the same message we share with our consumers, partners, customers and healthcare professionals and it’s integrated into our product innovation too.  

To enable this, we have a global program called “All Well”. This supports Sanofians in all aspects of their health and livelihoods, including a range of tools to support mental well-being, e.g. Employee Assistance Program. We understand that a healthy mind is the key to maintaining our overall wellbeing, therefore its imperative we nurture the emotional and mental wellness of everyone at Sanofi.  

We also believe that team managers are optimally placed to create a positive and inclusive environment for the wellbeing of the whole team. In 2022, we rolled out two new global initiatives: more regular check-ins with managers and their team, plus a global training program focused on mental health called “Winning Healthy Minds.” I have already attended two modules and have started building some of the practical tips learned into my daily routine. I’ve started doing a yoga flow in the morning and my back is as thankful as my mind! I also received some tips on how to stay closer to my team when hybrid working, and we now hold informal check-ins on a Friday.  

Pay it forward 

At Sanofi this month, we’re also thinking about the mental wellness in the areas surrounding where we live. Our colleagues around Europe are paying it forward by giving their time to improve the mental wellness of local communities as part of our ‘Purpose Day’. In the Consumer Healthcare team at Sanofi, we are participating in a range of activities to make a difference across Europe.  

On World Mental Health Day, I encourage you to also pay it forward and take time to check-in on others. And remember, check-in on yourself!  

[i] the average person will spend one third of their life at work 

[ii] the second most common work-related health problem after back problems