Made of Millions Foundation — Leading the Charge in Workplace Mental Health Advocacy

Addressing mental health in the workplace has become a growing concern for many companies today. Recognizing the significance of supporting their employees' mental wellbeing, companies are offering a wide range of benefits and programs — including Rackspace Technology®.

“We work hard to create a culture where every Racker feels supported, because they are valued members of our winning team on an inspiring mission,” said Summer Gafford, Vice President of Total Rewards and Human Resources Operations at Rackspace Technology. “Mental health is a key component of wellbeing — and it’s something we all need to focus on.”

That’s why Rackspace Technology offers robust solutions that can help care for the mental health of every Racker. The services include no-cost access to the digital mindfulness platform, RethinkCare, generous paid time off to allow Rackers time to recharge away from the office, and time off to balance the sometimes competing demands of work and home.

The Racker Resource Group, Lavender

A great resource for mental well-being is the Racker Resource Group, Lavender. It champions Racker’s mental well-being and provides support for everyone, no matter their level of physical ability. As an aroma, lavender is known to have calming properties that can reduce stress and anxiety, which makes it a meaningful moniker for the group.

Even more meaningfully, the group chose the name to honor the late Racker Peter Lavender, who was a strong champion for mental health before his passing.

To mark World Mental Health Month, the Lavender group partnered with the Rack Gives Back employee volunteer program to host a workshop supporting mental health in the workplace.

Made of Millions Foundation

The workshop was presented by the Made of Millions Foundation, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to destigmatizing mental health and supporting employees affected by mental health issues.

According to Paul Goddard, Manager, Enterprise Technical Services, and chair of Lavender, “Often people are afraid to share what’s going on in their lives — or to respond when others share their experiences. But there’s real power in honesty. We can help break down the stigma around mental health by sharing personal stories and being honest when we’re struggling. Honesty encourages us to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions and makes everything a little better for everyone.”

Made of Millions echoed this sentiment as well. The group shared that there are several well-being roadblocks that prevent employees from getting the help they need at work. Among them are a lack of awareness about the right language to use, fear of saying the wrong thing, bias about what is professionally appropriate, and even demographic divides.  

The Mental Health Matrix

In partnership with Yahoo!, Made of Millions conducted a global study among managers, human resource executives and company leaders on the topic of mental health in the workplace. The findings resulted in the creation of The Mental Health Matrix™ — a resource to help organizations identify sources of mental strain and the solutions needed to help.

“I am proud to work for a company that provides resources to help Rackers look after their well-being,” said Wayne Hooper, Senior Director, Security and Lavender executive sponsor. “Caring for employees' mental health isn’t solely the company’s responsibility. It’s a collective commitment we all must make. We each need to commit ourselves, to each other, and to making this world a better and more compassionate place.”

The Mental Health Matrix agrees, stating, “While leadership can create an empathetic company culture, messages about mental health can get lost in translation as they trickle down from the top. We all play a part in acting as translators, including managers diagnosed with mental health conditions and younger generations entering the workforce with increased awareness.”

Rackspace Technology has made a financial contribution to help the Made of Millions Foundation continue its mission to change how the world perceives mental health.