Campaign theme: Intergenerational Inclusion & Mental Wellbeing
Mental health is a structural issue and so is age discrimination. In municipalities, where generations work side by side to serve their communities, creating inclusive, mentally healthy workplaces means recognising the different challenges faced by employees at every stage of life. From combating ageism to supporting wellbeing, local governments have a responsibility to lead by example.
On this World Mental Health Day (10 October), the #InsideInclusionEU campaign highlights the importance of mental wellbeing and age inclusion within local administrations. We call on municipalities to reflect on whether their internal culture, HR policies and working conditions actively support mental wellbeing across all career stages and to consider what more can be done to meet the needs of early-career staff as well as those nearing retirement.
Why it matters
Stress, burnout, and exclusion affect everyone, but not in the same way. Young employees may face job insecurity, lack of support or learning opportunities. Older workers may experience ageism or find their needs overlooked in fast-paced, digitalised environments.
Research shows that mentally healthy organisations are more productive, more trusted, and more resilient. But only 7% of European organisations are genuinely building inclusive cultures for mental wellbeing (EY, 2024). Municipalities must be part of the shift.
By investing in mental health and intergenerational inclusion, municipalities can:
- Reduce turnover and absenteeism
- Strengthen trust between staff and leadership
- Foster knowledge-sharing across generations
- Create a working culture based on care, dignity and belonging
What can municipalities do?
This campaign wave introduces practical tools and inspiring frameworks that support intergenerational wellbeing at work:
WHO Guidelines on Mental Health at Work
The first global guidelines on mental wellbeing at work, co-developed with the ILO. These provide recommendations on organisational-level changes (e.g. workload, culture), manager training, individual support strategies and return-to-work plans all adaptable for the public sector (explore further).
EU Social Partners’ Framework Agreement on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Approach
A joint commitment by European trade unions and employer organisations to promote sustainable work for all ages. It includes concrete practices to prevent age discrimination, ensure smooth transitions and foster cooperation between generations in the workplace (explore further).
Good Practice: Healthy Workplaces for All Ages (EU-OSHA)
A campaign that showcases how cities and organisations have successfully adapted to demographic change with actions such as flexible hours, ergonomic improvements and intergenerational mentoring. These examples can inspire municipal HR teams to rethink roles, responsibilities, and support structures (explore further).
By combining these insights, municipalities can take tailored steps such as:
- Offering flexible work arrangements and mental health support
- Building cross-generational teams and mentoring programmes
- Including mental wellbeing in HR strategies, leadership training and DEI assessments
Start from within: Assess, reflect, act
Through the #InsideInclusionEU campaign, we invite municipalities to ask:
- Are we supporting the mental wellbeing of all employees across all ages?
- What systemic changes would create a culture of care?
Use the DEI Capacity Assessment Tool to identify gaps, benchmark your efforts and plan your next steps. The tool includes indicators on wellbeing, inclusion and organisational development helping you reflect on your practices and grow from within.
Join the campaign
- Explore our resources and practical tools
- Share your experiences using #InsideInclusionEU
- Mobilise your teams from HR to leadership to create caring, inclusive workplaces
This World Mental Health Day, let’s reimagine what wellbeing looks like in public service. Let’s build municipalities where every generation can thrive.
