17 Ways Internal Comms Can Normalize Conversations Around Well-Being

Conversations about well-being, stress and burnout in the workplace can foster healthier teams, stronger connections and a culture where people feel supported. While these conversations aren’t always easy to start, internal communications professionals are in a unique position to help.
By encouraging open discussion and weaving themes of wellness into the rhythm of work, the internal comms team can make it a visible and lasting part of company culture. To that end, here’s how the members of Forbes Communications Council recommend normalizing discussions around employee well-being.
1. Take, Encourage And Respect Time Off
Leaders should walk the talk. Visible behavior makes it safe for others to follow. Next, take—and respect—time off. No emails, no “just checking in.” Finally, encourage quarterly breaks. Don’t wait until year-end to recharge. – Nisar Keshvani, Northwestern University
2. Leverage Anonymous Pulse Surveys And Open Forums
Introduce two-way feedback mechanisms (e.g., ongoing, anonymous pulse surveys or open forums focused on well-being). With pulse surveys, include questions on stress, manager support and improvements. Run them regularly, analyze trends, share insights, act on feedback with visible changes and follow up. This normalizes conversations on well-being and shows it’s a sustained priority. – Stephanie Bunnell, Azira
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3. Be Transparent, Especially With Tough News
How you talk about well-being, stress and burnout is important. Transparency and respect build trust, loyalty and a stronger company culture. My biggest tip: Don’t sugarcoat tough news. Respect your employees’ intelligence enough to tell them the truth. They can handle it, and they will see right through obfuscation. You’re never going to outsmart people on bad news—give it to them straight. – Shaun Walsh, Peak Nano
4. Set The Tone At The Top
The best approach is to set the tone at the top of the organization for creating a psychologically safe work environment. Once that bedrock is in place, incorporate storytelling from your leadership team in your internal communications strategies. This will help set an example of transparency and authenticity and help to reduce the stigma of topics like stress and burnout in the workplace. – Camille Weleschuk, ATB Financial
5. Weave Well-Being Into Regular Updates
Normalize well-being by weaving it into regular updates, not just crisis moments. Internal comms pros can share leadership messages that openly acknowledge stress, spotlight resources and model balance. Consistency signals that well-being is part of the culture, not a side note. – Cody Gillund, Grounded Growth Studio
6. Treat Employees As People First
The best leaders view employees as people first and employees second. Their wider lives and well-being matter most. If they feel cared about as a person, beyond what they can do as an employee, they will feel safe to discuss their feelings and hardships when needed, and their work will benefit. – John Jorgenson, Cambium Learning Group
7. Pair Real Stories With Resources And Regular Conversations
One step I’ve found effective is modeling openness from the top and sharing real stories about my own stress or well-being challenges. This signals that it’s safe to talk about these topics. Pair it with regular forums, resources and check-ins so conversations aren’t a one-off, but part of the workplace culture. This builds a corporate culture of trust and transparency. – Kurt Allen, Notre Dame de Namur University
8. Highlight Examples Of Wellness In Everyday Comms
Internal comms can normalize well-being by baking it into the rhythm of work—like starting weekly updates with a “wellness tip” or highlighting leaders who visibly set boundaries. When wellness isn’t siloed into HR campaigns, but rather embedded in everyday comms, it signals that caring for mental health is part of how business gets done. – Katie Jewett, UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations
9. Publicly Set Boundaries To Maintain Well-Being
Being authentic at work requires being one’s true self. The more leaders let their guard down, the more others will feel comfortable doing the same. That means sharing ideas for managing well-being, even if that means saying no to a deadline or meeting that may conflict with self-care. Work together to make work a healthy and rewarding part of each other’s lives. – Rachel Kule, Pursuit PR
10. Signal Safety Through Authentic Stories And Regular Checks
To normalize conversations on well-being, stress and burnout, internal comms can regularly share authentic staff stories—anonymously or with consent—through newsletters or forums, and host recurring open forums or wellness check‑ins. This signals safety, reduces stigma and invites everyone to contribute to a more supportive culture. – Barbara Puszkiewicz-Cimino, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
11. Give People Permission To Pause
Invite people into silence first. Not every message about burnout needs a slogan or emoji. Sometimes, the most powerful message internal comms can send is a quiet prompt to pause. We once replaced our weekly email subject line with a single word: “Breathe.” The open rate was one of our highest of the year. People want permission, not performance. – Cade Collister, Metova
12. Embed Well-Being Into Values, Actions And Infrastructure
Leaders must value, model and invest in employee well-being as a long-term corporate asset. It must be embedded in corporate values, actions, infrastructure, workforce support and employee benefits. Only when companies truthfully deliver and authentically support employee well-being without career risk can any communications and messaging ever match the promise. – Toby Wong, Toby Wong Consulting
13. Make Mental Health Check-Ins Part Of Team Comms
One way to normalize the topic is to integrate mental health check-ins into team comms. Sixty-two percent of employees feel more supported when leaders acknowledge stress. Managers can help individuals identify what energizes or drains them, since one-size-fits-all fixes like forced vacation don’t work for everyone. – Christina Mendel, ChristinaMendel.com
14. Ask Employees To Share Inspirational Or Educational Anecdotes
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