May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but supporting employees’ mental wellness is an effort Kickstand takes seriously year-round. Whether folks are dealing with the emotional fallout of the global pandemic, struggling with depression, or just simply need time to rest and recharge, Kickstand has a number of initiatives and benefits geared towards supporting our employees as the fully-fledged human beings they are.
Wellness Stipend
With our Wellness Stipend, all full-time Kickstanders are eligible to receive up to $50 per month for any qualifying wellness activity in their personal lives. Folks can use this for anything from gym memberships to Peloton subscriptions to massages and mani-pedis.
We want to support our employees in their self-care endeavors. If taking that yoga class or getting your nails done means you’re coming to work feeling refreshed (and maybe a little indulgent – we see you, gel nails!), it’s a small price to pay for our staff’s overall wellness.
Mental Health Hours
Perhaps one of the most widely used perks at Kickstand, our Mental Health Hours program affords each employee three fully-paid hours per week for anything that helps their mental health. This could mean taking a nap during a stressful day, chatting with a therapist, or going for a long walk. The possibilities are endless!
No, this isn’t a trick – we actively encourage Kickstanders to take full advantage of these hours in the name of self-care. Nobody can perform to the best of their ability all the time; sometimes you need a break during the work day to focus on yourself. Mental Health Hours emerged as a means to combat pandemic-related stress, but given the success we’ve seen with the program and how much Kickstanders, well, benefit from this benefit, we’re not planning on ditching them anytime soon.
Stay tuned for more posts this month about how we’re promoting mental health and self-care at Kickstand. In the meantime, I’ll be getting a massage!
