Shining a light on mental health at Axis

If you hurt your back or break a leg, you usually seek medical help immediately. When our mental health is suffering, however, we are often less quick to act. At Axis, we want to help change this by promoting well-being, creating opportunities to talk, and providing support when it is needed.

 “Mental health is crucial for our overall well-being. Worldwide, we’ve seen a recent increase in people struggling with their mental health, but at the same time, less stigma around talking about it.” Matilda Ahlgren Kvist, HR Relations Specialist, Sweden

 “We understand that it can be challenging balancing life’s modern pressures with work, home, family, and taking care of yourself all at the same time. We want to continue to raise awareness that it’s ok not to feel ok and that we sometimes have ups and downs.” Shu Hui Yap, HR Business Partner, Oceania

Supporting mental health benefits individuals first and foremost, helping people lead happier and more fulfilling lives. But the positive effects can also extend to colleagues, friends, families, and the wider community. By encouraging a workplace where people feel supported and able to be themselves, we can contribute to a more caring, resilient, and sustainable organization.

Creating a supportive culture starts with listening. That means making space for honest conversations, respecting different perspectives, and avoiding the assumption that everyone experiences well-being in the same way.

For Helen Khoury, Marketing Specialist, Oceania, informal conversations play an important role in supporting her mental health:

“I like to just chat to people. [...] When I come into the office and someone says, ‘How are you? How was your morning?’ I like to tell the truth. Whether it was a crazy morning with the three kids or there was a lot of traffic, I like to just share. And I find that when I share, others share. We have a laugh, and we start our day on the right foot.A simple, genuine question can open the door to connection. Asking how someone is doing, and taking the time to listen to the answer, can help create a culture where people feel seen and included.”

Listening also means accepting that people may have different ways of looking after themselves. Felix Samuelsson, Student Relations Specialist, Sweden, focuses on developing healthy habits without adding pressure:

“I believe we live in a society where too many things are measured and compared to others. Therefore, I try to create and maintain healthy habits without pressure. I go for runs, but I try not to measure how many kilometers I run. I try to read every night, but it doesn’t matter for how long. The important thing is that I keep showing up and doing things I feel good doing.”

His approach is a reminder that well-being is not a competition. What helps one person may not help another, and healthy routines do not need to be perfect to be valuable.

Working proactively with mental health involves both prevention and support. It means building everyday habits that promote well-being, while also ensuring that people know where to turn when they need professional help. As Matilda described it, “having a parachute to catch people if something happens.”

Support may include healthcare benefits, employee assistance programs, professional counseling, or other resources that vary between locations. Local HR teams and managers can help employees understand the options available to them.

There are also many ways to make support easier to find. Across Axis, initiatives have included awareness activities, reminders to check in with colleagues, and clear information about how to access help. The aim is to make it easier for anyone to find the right support and to remove shame from asking for it. 

“We want to make it really easy for anyone to find the right information if they’re not feeling well and to remove any shame around seeking help,” says Matilda. 

Our open and inclusive culture is central to who we are, and we see it in action every day: in the colleague who checks in and means it, in the team that makes space for real conversations, and in the simple act of listening without immediately trying to fix things.

Our values guide the way we work together and help shape a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and empowered. This includes recognizing that people bring different experiences, needs, and perspectives to work. When everyone has the opportunity to be heard, we create stronger connections and a more inclusive environment.

There is no single formula for supporting mental health. It may involve talking to others, maintaining healthy habits, reflecting on positive experiences, or seeking professional support. The important thing is to find approaches that work for you, and to respect that everyone’s path may look different.

Matilda and Shu Hui's advice to someone needing help with mental health is: “Just start talking, whether it’s to your friends, family, one of us, your HR responsible, your manager, or a licensed therapist with whom we can connect you. And remember, you are not alone.”