Mental Health Check-In for Employees [Free PDF for HRs]

In 2023, we looked into some problems women leaders face at work and found something big: about 30% of companies don’t track employees’ mental well-being at all. 

That may be a significant miss because it means they might not know if their team is struggling or if they could do something to help them feel better.

Moreover, organizations often don’t know what exactly to ask to get a real sense of their employees’ well-being and job satisfaction. Especially when it comes to such sensitive areas as mental health. 

Our check-in tool is designed to change that. It provides a structured yet simple way to assess well-being and opens up a dialogue between employees and management. 

This quiz can help identify areas that need attention and, ultimately, create a workplace where everyone feels valued and heard.

360° Workplace mental health check-in

This check-in contains the following questions as below.

Please rate each question on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means you strongly disagree or have not experienced it at all, and 10 means you strongly agree or experience it frequently.

Work environment

1. How manageable is your current workload?

2. How conducive is your work environment to your overall well-being?

3. How much autonomy do you feel you have over your tasks and decisions at work?

4. How flexible are your working conditions (e.g., schedule, location)?

5. For remote or hybrid employees: How supported do you feel while working remotely?

Job satisfaction and engagement

6. How satisfied are you with your job?

7. What is your overall morale and enthusiasm toward your work?

8. How clear are you about your role and expectations at work?

Recognition and feedback

9. How valued do you feel at work?

10. How often do you feel your efforts and achievements are recognized at work?

11. How frequently do you receive constructive feedback that helps you improve?

Health and well-being

12. How well do you feel you are managing your work-life balance?

13. How would you rate your current level of stress at work?

14. Considering your physical health, how well do you feel?

15. Considering your mental health, how well do you feel?

16. How do you feel your work impacts your personal life?

17. How supported do you feel in addressing mental health concerns within the workplace?

Compensation and benefits

18. How adequate are the technology and tools provided to you for doing your job effectively?

19. How beneficial are the workplace wellness programs or initiatives (if any) to you?

Personal growth and development

20. How much opportunity do you feel you have for personal development and growth at work?

21. How satisfied are you with professional growth and career advancement opportunities?

Relationship to management

22. How supported do you feel by your management or supervisors?

23. How comfortable do you feel voicing concerns or feedback without fear of negative consequences?

24. How effective is the communication within your team?

25. How effectively are conflicts resolved within your team or department?

26. How effectively do you think management handles employee concerns and holds employees accountable to expectations?

27. How directly accessible is upper management (above your own supervisor) to engage with to voice concerns and opportunities if needed?

Company culture and values

28. How inclusive do you find your workplace culture?

29. How aligned do you feel with the company’s vision and values?

30. How strongly do you believe your workplace adheres to high ethical standards?

31. How strongly do you feel a sense of belonging within the company?

32. How fair and equitable are the practices and policies in your workplace?

Interpersonal relationships

33. How positive are your relationships with colleagues?

34. How much do you feel supported by your peers and coworkers?

35. How respected do you feel your personal boundaries are at work?

Who is the check-in for?

This check-in is for HR professionals, leaders, and all employees interested in assessing their well-being at work. 

It’s a valuable tool for HR teams and organizational leaders to gain insights into the overall health of their workforce. By understanding how employees feel about their work environment, workload, and the support they receive, you can make informed decisions to enhance workplace culture and employee satisfaction.

Individual employees can also benefit from taking this quiz independently. It’s a self-assessment tool to reflect on your own job satisfaction, work-life balance, and mental health in the workplace. 

Identifying areas of concern can empower you to seek support, engage in meaningful conversations with your managers, or implement personal strategies to improve your work experience.

Is the check-in accurate?

This check-in can give a broad overview of well-being at work. It draws on key areas that affect employee satisfaction and mental health. 

While it’s crafted with expert knowledge about workplace wellness, it cannot capture every nuance of an individual’s experience. The results offer a starting point for reflection and discussion rather than a precise measurement.

For HR professionals and leaders, the check-in provides insights into the general mood and well-being of the team or organization. It can highlight areas that may require attention and improvement. But it’s most effective when used alongside other tools and methods of engagement to fully understand employee experiences.

For individuals, this check-in can help you identify areas where you’re thriving and others where you might need support. However, it’s not a substitute for professional advice or a detailed assessment of your mental health. 

If your results suggest significant concerns, consider seeking a deeper evaluation from a professional who can offer personalized guidance.

How to take the check-in 

• Look at each of the 35 questions and rate your feelings or experiences on a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 means the statement doesn’t apply to you at all, and 10 means it fully applies or represents your experience.

• After answering all questions, add up your scores. The total will give you a number between 0 and 350.

• Use the score to gauge your overall well-being in relation to your work environment and job satisfaction.

Understanding the results

• 0-85: Indicates critical challenges in nearly all areas of work life. This score suggests employees may be under extreme stress, feeling deeply undervalued, and lacking essential support. Immediate attention from HR and management is crucial to address these urgent concerns, provide necessary resources, and initiate supportive interventions.

• 86-170: Shows that employees experience a moderate level of satisfaction and well-being at work. While some areas are positive, there are clear opportunities for improvement. Targeted actions to enhance support, communication, and recognition could be beneficial.

• 171-255: Reflects a high level of job satisfaction and mental well-being among employees. It suggests that, mostly, employees feel supported, valued, and aligned with the company’s goals. Maintaining these aspects and addressing any minor issues can further improve workplace satisfaction.

• 256-350: Signifies excellent well-being and job satisfaction. Continuous efforts to sustain these conditions are crucial, along with regular check-ins to ensure new or evolving needs are met. 

How leaders can use this check-in

You can use this check-in as a valuable tool to understand and improve the well-being and satisfaction of your teams. 

1. Introduce the check-in to your team

Explain the purpose of the check-in to your team members. Emphasize its role in enhancing workplace culture and individual well-being. 

Ensure confidentiality and stress that it’s a tool for positive change, not for evaluations or performance reviews. Checking in on mental health at work is a sensitive matter, and it’s crucial to approach it with care and understanding.

2. Encourage honest participation

Create an environment where team members feel safe and encouraged to provide honest feedback. Assure their responses will be used constructively to make meaningful improvements in the workplace.

3. Analyze the results collectively

Collect the check-in results anonymously to maintain privacy. Look for patterns and trends in the responses that indicate areas of strength and those needing attention. 

Pay special attention to questions with lower average scores, as these highlight potential concerns.

4. Discuss findings with your team

Schedule a meeting with your team to discuss the general findings (without revealing individual responses). Focus on the overall trends and how they reflect on the team’s well-being and job satisfaction. 

This discussion can be a tool for inclusivity and collective problem-solving. 

You can get creative and create a team-building experience through this discussion by directing the team to break up into groups and engage in brainstorming exercises to generate solutions to respective areas that are identified as needing improvement.

– Tiffany Lovins, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

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5. Develop action plans

Based on the check-in results and team discussions, develop action plans to address the identified areas for improvement. 

This might involve adjusting workloads, improving communication channels, offering more support for personal and professional development, or enhancing workplace flexibility.

Engage the team to be an active part of this process with an identified lead for each initiative. 

Action plans are most impactful when the following are included: 

• Identified an individual responsible for the initiative
• Identified teams or departments that will be key in informing the process
• A set timeline for action steps that is transparent to all team members
• And a detailed process for follow-up. 

Tiffany Lovins, LMHC on Calmerry, explains:

For example, instead of ending the discussion with a broad statement of, “We will discuss progress at next month’s meeting.” It is more effective and builds trust and accountability when the discussion concludes with, “Joan will meet with her project team next week on Wednesday at 1 pm and will then send an email distribution to the entire department with updates no later than Monday at 9 am.”

6. Implement changes

Implement the agreed-upon changes and keep the team updated on progress and any adjustments to the plans. This demonstrates commitment to improving their work experience and well-being. 

Communication in multiple modes (emails, team meetings, supervision meetings) with clear details on what these changes involve, how they impact the individual and team, expectations connected to the changes, and timeline for each step of the change is critical.  

7. Monitor and adjust

Regularly monitor the impact of the changes and be open to making adjustments as needed. Continuous improvement is key to maintaining a positive and supportive work environment. 

Offer opportunities for reactions and feedback to build trust and investment from the team on supporting the changes.

– Tiffany Lovins, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

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8. Repeat the check-in

Conduct the check-in periodically (e.g., bi-annually or annually) to track changes over time and ensure that the implemented strategies are effective. 

Regular check-ins also signal your team that their well-being is an ongoing priority.

9. Provide resources and support

Ensure employees have access to resources and support for their well-being. For example, consider mental health services, professional development programs, workshops, coaching services, and flexible work arrangements.

10. Lead by example

Demonstrate a commitment to well-being in your own work habits. 

Leaders who prioritize their own work-life balance, openly discuss their efforts to manage stress, and engage in professional development set a positive example for their team.

This can be as simple as setting a precedent that emails are only responded to during work hours. If you communicate this expectation to the team, yet you are sending and replying to work emails after hours, this may give the unintended message that working late is a preferred and desirable trait regardless of what you verbally communicate.

– Tiffany Lovins, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

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If your team needs mental health support, we’re here for you

Seeking trusted, outcome-focused mental health services is a wise strategy for companies that understand employee well-being is a top priority.

By investing in mental health, companies reduce turnover, absenteeism, and healthcare costs while boosting productivity and loyalty. 

At Calmerry, we make personalized mental health care easily accessible for organizations and their employees. Completely confidential, flexible, and tailored to unique needs.

This can be exactly the support your team needs.

So, let’s discuss how Calmerry can strategically support the wellness of your most valuable asset – your people.