
Dr. Laura Beavin-Yates
October 10, 2024
5 minute read
Empowering Teams and Enhancing Emotional Fitness: How SIX is Leading the Way This World Mental Health Day
As we observe World Mental Health Day, this year’s theme—Mental Health at Work—highlights the importance of mental well-being in professional environments. Mental health plays a crucial role in both individual and team success. Our co-founder, Dr. Paul Zak, recently wrote a brief piece on this topic, and this blog further expands the necessity of this effort and provides strategies for deployment. Companies that prioritize emotional fitness foster healthier, more productive workplaces, ultimately leading to team thriving and greater overall satisfaction.

Now, let’s think about John. We’ve all encountered a “John”—the coworker who often seems frustrated, doesn’t engage well with others, but has the technical skills that keep him on the team. And then, there’s someone like Rachel—the colleague who’s always upbeat, willing to lend a hand, and seems indispensable to the group. But what’s really going on behind the scenes with John and Rachel? As it turns out, much of what we attribute to their personalities—John's negativity or Rachel’s optimism—actually reflects their emotional fitness and psychological safety at work.
Understanding Emotional Fitness
Research shows that 95% of people are naturally cooperative and want to contribute when they’re in a good mental state. Yet, many of the “Johns” in our workplaces aren’t inherently difficult people; they’re simply having a bad day or struggling with chronic stress. High stress and low emotional fitness put the brain in survival mode–inhibiting their ability to collaborate and thrive. These folks may also be suffering from mental health issues and smart businesses offer mental health benefits to help employees overcome these difficulties.
The SIX app offers a way to measure and improve emotional fitness in real-time, helping employees identify moments of high stress and low cooperation before they escalate. By encouraging individuals to experience six high-value social-emotional moments daily (we call these Key Moments), SIX builds emotional resilience and strengthens team dynamics. When each team member takes care of their emotional fitness, the entire team benefits, and team thriving becomes the standard.
Mental Health at Work: The Neuroscience of Thriving Teams
This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “Mental Health at Work,” emphasizes the need to create environments where individuals can thrive both emotionally and mentally. According to neuroscience, emotions drive behavior, and this plays a significant role in workplace productivity. Positive emotional experiences release neurochemicals like oxytocin and dopamine, which foster social bonds, increase focus, and make us more resilient to stress.
The SIX app uses algorithms built from 20 years of neuroscience research and everyday wearables to capture the Key Moments when your brain is most emotionally engaged—whether it’s during a meaningful conversation with a colleague or a positive team-building experience. By measuring these moments, you can see how emotional fitness directly impacts team collaboration and overall performance.
For instance, when John is feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, his emotional state may make him seem uncooperative. However, with SIX, John and his team can track their emotional fitness and identify when emotional support is needed. SIX provides actionable insights that encourage team members to connect and support one another, resulting in a more cohesive, emotionally intelligent workplace.
Fostering Trust and Emotional Support
One of the most powerful ways to support mental health at work is through trust and transparency. Sharing your SIX data with your team—whether you’re flourishing or struggling—fosters a sense of trust and opens the door to deeper connections. Even the “Johns” in the office can benefit from this practice. Rather than avoiding a difficult team member, invite them to participate in both work-related and social activities. John may need that extra invitation to a team lunch or a Friday happy hour to feel included and supported.
By sharing emotional fitness data, team members can better understand each other’s needs and offer empathy and encouragement. Even those like Rachel, who always seem upbeat, might be masking hidden stress. Transparent communication ensures that every team member feels supported, and it helps prevent burnout. SIX enables more meaningful connections with colleagues, reducing the friction that can occur among busy team members with tight deadlines.
Applying the Human API
In the fast-paced work environment, stress can cloud our judgment of others. But instead of assuming the worst about a coworker’s behavior, apply the Human API—Assume Positive Intentions. This framework aligns perfectly with the insights from the SIX app. When you approach an uncooperative colleague with the assumption that they’re dealing with stress rather than acting out of malice, you’re more likely to approach them with empathy.
Rich Hua, an emotional intelligence expert at Amazon, emphasizes that most people are good and doing their best, but stress, deadlines, and personal challenges can sometimes get in the way. By applying this approach and assuming positive intentions, you can foster a more compassionate, emotionally intelligent workplace where everyone feels supported.
Building Emotional Fitness for Thriving Teams
Emotional fitness is the foundation for thriving teams, and the SIX app makes building this essential skill easier than ever. With the ability to track and measure brain responses during key moments, SIX provides an evidence-based approach to improving mental health in the workplace. By giving team members access to their own emotional fitness data, they can make better decisions about how to manage stress, engage with colleagues, and cultivate meaningful relationships.
This World Mental Health Day, let’s take a bold step toward building workplaces that foster both individual well-being and team success. A simple word of encouragement, a meaningful check-in with a colleague, or using the SIX app to track emotional fitness can make all the difference in creating a thriving environment. These small, mindful actions contribute to healthier, more connected, and more engaged teams.
When emotional fitness is prioritized, it transforms workplaces—making team thriving the new standard. After all, when individuals thrive, the entire team flourishes.
Download the SIX app today and begin your journey toward a happier, healthier, and more connected life—both for yourself and your team!