You are not alone: The importance of workplace community

By Ellie Thompson, co-founder, Delphi

"You are not alone. You are seen. I am with you. You are not alone." – Shonda Rhimes

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week celebrates community—the power of connection, belonging, and support in fostering positive mental health and wellbeing.

Community means different things to different people. For me, it is one of the most precious things in my life.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with a teenage girl who is navigating a tough time—struggling to find where she belongs, feeling out of control. As we talked, I said something along the lines of "I promise you, you will find your people." She simply responded, "But when?"

It was a great question without a simple or certain answer. In my experience, community isn’t found in one place or at one moment; it evolves. People come into—and sometimes leave—our lives at different points.

For me, my community is an anchor—a handful of family, friends, and colleagues who share my values, bring positivity, and, most importantly, never fail to show up when I need them. They listen without judgment, steady me when I’m spiralling, and offer the kind of support I hope I can return.

And their presence in my life is invaluable. I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am for them.

I am not someone who asks for help easily. In fact, I find it deeply uncomfortable. And I suspect I’m not alone in that. Many of us struggle to reach out, even when we need it most.

Through therapy and self-reflection, I’ve come to understand why asking for help feels so hard for me. I also recognize that self-sufficiency can serve me well—sometimes. Other times, it doesn’t. A few years ago, my reluctance to ask for help wasn’t just unhelpful—it was actively harming my mental health.

That was when I truly understood the importance of my community. They were the few people I could trust to help me do the hardest thing: ask for help. And when I reached out in that moment, my community showed up.

This brings me to workplace community.

I suspect our industry is full of people, like me, who find it hard to ask for help or say we are struggling.

For years, the norm has been to reward self-sufficiency—the ability to absorb immense pressure and push through. But things are shifting. The most recent State of Us research shows that employers are becoming more accountable for workplace wellbeing in Comms and Marketing, and the industry is responding more effectively when employees flag that they are struggling.

But what about those who don’t or cannot ask for help?

That’s where workplace community matters most.

If you find it hard to reach out to a manager or teammate or access the mental health support available, maybe your work community can be an anchor?

A trusted colleague, peer or even ‘someone you used to work with but have stayed great friends with’ who understands your role, listens without judgment, and— if needed – will advocate for you.

This week, think about who that person or people are. Who makes up your work community? And then take the time to let them know they’re that person for you. And just as importantly, let them know you will be that person for them when they need it.