A Framework for Navigating Workplace Mental Health Resources Using AI
A governance-first framework for using AI responsibly in workplace mental health and wellbeing
Most organizations already offer mental health and wellbeing support.
What’s missing is clarity. Employees often don’t know what resources exist, what they are for, or where to start. In moments of stress, that confusion becomes friction — and friction often leads to inaction.
The Workplace Mental Health Resource Navigation Playbook is designed to address this gap. It provides a structured, ethical framework for using AI as a navigation and signposting layer over existing workplace mental health resources — not as a provider of care.
Why Access, Not Availability, Is the Real Challenge
Across industries, the same challenges continously appear:
– Employees are unaware of available mental health resources
– Acronyms like “EAP” are poorly understood
– Resources are scattered across portals, PDFs, and intranet pages
– Employees hesitate to contact HR or managers due to privacy concerns
– Well-intentioned AI experiments introduce uncertainty and risk
This is not a lack-of-support problem. It is an access, clarity, and trust problem.
Why AI Introduces Risk Without Clear Boundaries
AI can reduce friction by offering:
– Plain-language explanations
– On-demand access
– A single place to ask questions
But without clear guardrails, AI introduces real risk:
– Drifting into advice, coaching, or diagnosis
– Misstating confidentiality or privacy expectations
– Mishandling crisis or safety-related situations
– Undermining employee trust
Most failures in this space are not technical. They are governance failures. This playbook exists to prevent that.
A Clear Line: Navigation, Not Care
This framework is built on a simple principle: AI should help employees find support — not be support.
The playbook defines how AI may be used strictly as:
– An information hub
– A clarity layer over existing systems
– A resource navigation tool
It explicitly avoids:
– Therapy or coaching use cases
– Clinical or diagnostic behavior
– “Mental health chatbot” framing
– Replacing human, professional, or clinical support
What This Framework Provides
AI reduces friction. Humans provide care.
What This Framework Enables — and What It Explicitly Avoids
- A governance-first framework
- A decision-support asset
- A way to align HR, IT, Legal, and leadership
- A safe starting point for responsible exploration
- A chatbot or AI product
- A mental health service
- A Copilot, Teams, or platform implementation
- Ongoing consulting or technical setup
Implementation remains owned by the organization.
How Organizations Use This in Practice
Organizations typically use the playbook to:
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Align HR, IT, and Legal on intent and boundaries
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Map existing mental health resources clearly
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Run a small, controlled pilot using existing AI tools
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Decide whether to expand, refine, or stop
No implementation commitment is required to begin.
If Your Organization Is Exploring This Space
This framework is designed for organizations exploring the use of AI in workplace mental health and wellbeing — with clarity, care, and clear boundaries.
If you’d like to review the executive summary or learn more, you can share a few details below. This does not commit you to anything.