Workplace Mental Health: How Zachry Construction Is Moving from Awareness to Action - 2026 Next Practices Weekly
In industries where mental health stigma can prevent employees from seeking help, awareness alone isn’t enough - organizations need trusted people, practical resources, and a culture that makes it safe to speak up. On the October 22, 2026, session of i4cp’s Next Practices Weekly, Jason Westensknow, Vice President of Human Resources, Eli Embleton, Learning and Development Lead, and Mariana Barahona, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Manager at Zachry Construction, will share how the organization is taking a proactive, people-centered approach to workplace mental health.
Hosted by i4cp, this conversation will explore Zachry’s Mental Health Champions (MHC) Program, an innovative peer-support model designed to reduce stigma, build trust, and connect employees with professional resources. Launched in 2023, the program has grown to 115 Mental Health Champions across the organization. Through specialized training, ongoing education, job-site outreach, leadership development, and collaboration between HR and Safety, these Champions serve as a critical bridge between employees who may be struggling and Zachry’s in-house EAP and other mental health resources.
Why You Should Attend
- Learn how Zachry Construction is tackling mental health stigma head-on by creating a network of trained Mental Health Champions who can listen, build trust, and connect colleagues with professional support.
- Explore a scalable peer-support model for workforce well-being. Hear how the program grew to 115 Champions and how ongoing training, forums, conferences, and workplace outreach reinforce their ability to support colleagues.
- Discover how HR and Safety can work together to make mental health part of everyday workplace culture through safety training, onboarding, leadership development, and ongoing employee communications.
- See how trust can drive stronger connections to mental health resources, particularly for frontline employees who may face cultural, generational, or language barriers to seeking help.
- Take away actionable ideas for moving beyond awareness campaigns and building an enduring mental health strategy that equips employees, strengthens connection, and creates clearer pathways to care.
Join us to learn what it takes to move workplace mental health from conversation to sustained action. The Zachry Construction team will share lessons on creating psychologically safer environments, equipping employees to recognize and respond to distress, overcoming cultural and language barriers, and embedding mental health into the broader employee experience. HR leaders will leave with practical ideas for building a culture in which seeking help is normalized - and employees know they have someone they can trust when they need support.
To ensure open discussion, this event is exclusively for HR practitioners. Vendors and consultants are not permitted to attend.
