IGNITE: Operationalizing The US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being

Workplaces have been called to action by The US Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being. Educating the workforce on the five essentials anchored to ten human needs can be a way to create a shared vocabulary about the elements of work design that foster healthy workplaces. Through socializing the Framework, workplaces enable workers to be constructive partners in creating better environments. In addition, there is an urgent need to counter professional isolation and enhance social connection among the entire health care workforce. This article shares the rationale and process of creating a novel program called IGNITE (Inspiring Growth, Net-working, Improvement, Togetherness, and Engagement) that operationalizes the Framework. This initiative accomplishes the dual purpose of enhancing individual and organizational resilience through learning about the Framework, while creating space for our entire workforce to build stronger communities and teams.