Supporting employee mental health during global conflict: 6 strategies that make a difference

Global conflict, whether it's war, military occupation, or humanitarian crisis, doesn’t just stay on the news. It reaches the workplace. Employees carry the weight of what’s happening in the world into their meetings, inboxes, and every day interactions.

A recent study found that 75% of employees reported experiencing some form of low mood due to the turbulence of global politics and current events. As breaking news continues to pour in daily, it can be disorienting for employees to toggle between work emails and headlines about violence, displacement, or loss. The emotional toll isn’t just a distraction; it’s a weight that employees carry with them in their personal and professional lives.

In moments like these, it’s crucial for organizations to show up with clarity, compassion, and action. Here are 6 strategies companies can adopt to support employee mental health during global conflict. 

1. Acknowledge what’s happening with care and awareness

Global conflict can be difficult to address in the workplace, especially for organizations that aim to remain politically neutral. However, silence can be even more damaging to employee morale. Even a simple acknowledgment can help employees feel seen and supported.

You don’t need to comment on the causes or politics of a crisis. Instead, focus on the human impact. Recognize that employees may be experiencing fear, grief, or distraction and that it’s okay not to be okay.

Example: 

"We understand that recent global events are affecting many people in different ways. If you’re feeling impacted, we want you to know we’re here to support you however we can."

Leading with empathy doesn’t require taking a side. It just means showing you care. 

2. Train managers to lead with empathy

Emotionally intelligent leaders are critically important in times of global conflict. Middle managers are the first line of emotional response, but they’re often the least prepared. Equip them with training to recognize distress, hold difficult conversations, and escalate when necessary.

Offer resources on:

• Active listening and emotional validation

• Trauma-informed leadership

• Cultural sensitivity during conflict

• Knowing when and how to connect employees with professional help

Building emotional awareness helps managers create a more supportive and responsive environment, especially during times of stress or uncertainty. 

3. Make mental health support visible and immediate

If mental health resources are hard to find or tucked away in cumbersome systems, employees may not know they’re available when they need them most. Mental health support must be immediately visible and accessible.

Put mental health front and center:

• Highlight company-sponsored mental health resources for employees: Make sure employees know what support is available through your benefit offerings. This might include virtual therapy sessions, on-demand mental health apps, stress management tools, or mental health coaching. Promote these resources regularly and ensure they’re easy to access without digging through multiple portals.

• Highlight Employee Assistance Programs (EAP): Make sure employees know what’s included in your EAP and how to access it quickly. These programs often provide free, confidential support for stress, grief, crisis counseling, and more. Regular reminders through internal channels can help normalize their use and increase awareness.

• Deploy pulse surveys: Use short, anonymous surveys to gauge how employees are feeling and what kind of support they need most. Ask simple, targeted questions to understand emotional wellbeing, stress levels, and whether existing resources are being used or understood. Pulse surveys can guide your response and help you adjust your approach quickly and compassionately.

The Navigate platform seamlessly integrates mental health resources, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and pulse surveys into one user-friendly interface. By centralizing these tools, Navigate ensures that employees can easily access vital mental health resources when they need them most.  

4. Offer flexible work arrangements  

Stress doesn’t stick to a schedule. Employees may be dealing with disrupted sleep, family emergencies, or emotional burnout.

Make flexibility standard, not special:

• Let people shift their hours or work asynchronously

• Extend deadlines without friction

• Normalize stepping away when needed

Flexibility doesn’t mean lowering expectations; it means making space for people to work in ways that support their wellbeing. Every team and role is different, so how flexibility looks in practice may vary. What matters most is creating a culture where adjusting to real-life circumstances is understood and supported.

Navigate offers engagement reporting tools to help HR teams understand productivity trends under flexible models. Instead of guessing about work-life balance impacts, use data to determine what employees need most. 

5. Adjust your tone in company communications

Business-as-usual messages can feel painfully tone-deaf during a global crisis. A chipper internal newsletter or a launch celebration can appear indifferent to employees who are struggling.

Gut-check everything:

• Pause scheduled content that feels tone-deaf

• Update internal communications to reflect current realities

• Reassess the tone of upcoming campaigns or events to ensure they align with how people might be feeling right now

Being mindful of tone shows employees that you are paying attention to what they might be experiencing. It does not mean halting all communications, just making sure they feel thoughtful and grounded. Small adjustments can go a long way in helping people feel respected and understood. 

6. Commit to long-term wellbeing, not short-term statements

The trauma of war and conflict doesn’t end when the news cycle moves on. Your support shouldn’t either. Beyond ad-hoc statements, organizations should focus on longer-term strategies that deliver measurable results.

Build for the long run:

• Invest in year-round mental health programming

• Schedule recurring check-ins for affected teams

• Track stress and burnout as carefully as performance

• Keep updating your response plan

Employees tend to remember how their organization responded during challenging times. Support does not have to be perfect but being present and responsive can have a lasting impact. 

Final thoughts

Global conflict can have quiet but substantial effects in the workplace. Even if employees are not directly affected, many carry emotional weight. Providing steady and compassionate support helps build trust and resilience. Mental health resources, clear communication, and thoughtful leadership all make a difference.  

Navigate's employee wellbeing platform empowers organizations to provide the compassionate support needed during times of global conflict. By seamlessly integrating mental health resources, facilitating clear communication, and empowering leaders with tools to foster a supportive work culture, Navigate helps you create an environment where every employee feels valued and supported.

Book a personalized demo with one of our strategists today to see how we can support mental health in your organization.