Introduction
When EY (Ernst & Young) launched their mental health training program for thousands of their employees worldwide, they found that 85% of their employees reported reduced symptoms after completing the program.
Mental health has emerged as a crucial topic in the modern workplace, not just as a matter of wellness. It’s a driver of engagement, retention, and culture. A 2022 report from Deloitte highlighted that companies investing in comprehensive mental health education see lower turnover and higher productivity. Employees increasingly expect support from their organizations, and when that support is meaningfully delivered, the evidence is clear–companies benefit, both functionally and financially.
As Learning Experience Designers (LxDs) and Learning & Development (L&D) professionals, we are uniquely positioned to shape these experiences. We have the opportunity to design with mental health in mind, weaving research-backed principles into each touchpoint of the learning experience. By embedding mental health into the learning ecosystems we create, we can help to reduce stigma and foster emotionally intelligent, people-first workplaces.
We have compiled a few key strategies to implement to ensure that learning experiences are holistic, safe, and encourage empathetic, emotional connections that not only deliver on learning objectives–but spark long-term interpersonal transformation.
Designing for Mental Health Awareness Across the Learning Journey
A human-centered learning experience for mental health begins with intentionally crafted moments. These are designed to normalize conversations around the topic and provide emotional safety. Rather than simply adding modules on wellness, LxDs can curate experiences that feel inclusive, function with empathy, and engage learners at the right time with the right tone.
Onboarding as a Signal of Culture
The onboarding experience sets the tone for a new hire’s relationship with the company. Designing this phase with care—through empathetic language, guided introductions to wellness tools, and a focus on psychological safety—can embed emotional well-being into the fabric of the employee experience. Interactive journey maps and scenario-based roleplays that reflect real emotional challenges (e.g., managing anxiety around performance or remote isolation) help learners feel seen from day one.
Try this: Use scenario-based roleplays to walk through potential challenges–both interpersonal and work-related–that someone may encounter within the work day. Include moments of self-reflection that allow the learner to digest how those scenarios made them feel.
Leadership Development as Emotional Infrastructure
Managers shape team culture. As such, leadership training must move beyond theoretical knowledge and into the realm of experiential empathy. Designing emotionally resonant simulations, gamified empathy-building exercises, and reflective journaling activities can cultivate leaders who lead with compassion. By leveraging components like automated feedback, debriefing, and adaptive branching scenarios, LxDs can challenge managers to practice emotionally complex conversations and learn from their own biases or blind spots.
Try this: Use branching scenarios to help learners explore different conversational outcomes when approaching a peer in distress. Include moments of reflection to deepen understanding and personal relevance.
Team Learning as a Space for Psychological Safety
Learning experiences that prioritize team dynamics should be built with psychological safety in mind. Interactive modules can include emotional check-ins or guided dialogues that surface stressors, communication gaps, or coping strategies. Collaborative learning tools—such as shared digital whiteboards or anonymous chat reflections—can encourage honesty and connection without forcing vulnerability. Embedding emotional cues and inclusive language throughout team training helps foster a workplace where vulnerability is not just allowed, but welcomed.
Try this: Introduce “emotional check-ins” within modules. Use anonymous polls or digital sticky notes to allow people to share their emotional state without fear of exposure.
Design Strategies for Mental Health and Accessibility
Designing for emotional well-being means meeting learners at their natural cadence, not adding additional stress. There are tools to help deliver mental health training, however, they are more effective when delivered in just-in-time, digestible formats.
- Micro-moments of Care: Short, daily nudges via learning platforms or apps, like mindfulness breaks or reflection prompts, can gently encourage self-regulation and reduce stress.
- Performance Support Tools: Creating mobile-friendly, easy-to-access tools (e.g., grounding exercises, digital gratitude journals, sleep hygiene guides) keeps support close at hand during high-stress periods.
- Design for Choice and Control: Allowing learners to self-direct their learning—choosing the timing, intensity, and format of engagement—respects autonomy and minimizes cognitive overload.
Measuring What Matters
Traditional metrics (completion rates, satisfaction scores) are important, but mindful experience design asks deeper questions:
- Did learners feel seen and supported?
- Did the experience foster behavior change or emotional insight?
- Are employees more likely to ask for help, set boundaries, or care for others?
Pre- and post-experience assessments, reflections, and storytelling opportunities (e.g., anonymous testimonials or manager impact narratives) help highlight the emotional ROI. LxDs can use these inputs to design programs that evolve with their learners’ needs and company culture shifts.
Conclusion
Designing learning experiences with mental health in mind is not about delivering more content. It’s about shaping environments, rituals, and emotional touch points that support people in being their full selves at work. For L&D professionals and learning experience designers, this means embedding empathy, flexibility, and safety into every layer of the learning journey. It’s a strategic, human investment in the emotional infrastructure of the workplace.