Stories from our colleagues
Mental health among Strawberry employees
At Strawberry, employee mental health and well-being have always taken center stage. How do we create an environment where Marius can thrive at work despite heavy mental struggles? And how does Johanna balance leading a hotel with her challenging new role as a mother? Discover why transparency in the workplace can save lives – and how we help every team member shine.
Our goal is simple: Strawberry team members should feel supported at work, empowered to be their authentic selves, and enjoy a genuine work-life balance. When our people are thriving, that energy carries all the way through to our guests.
Our goal isn't just to help our colleagues cope – we want them to flourish.
While that might sound self-evident, creating a workplace where everyone feels completely safe, no matter what they are facing in life, takes constant work. Our internal surveys show a steadily rising score for mental well-being, but we aren't stopping there. With more than 18,000 employees across the company, we will keep strengthening our foundation through expertise, transparency, and care.
When transparency saves lives
There is no single rulebook when it comes to supporting mental health. Whether someone is navigating anxiety, depression, burnout, loneliness, or major life transitions, it all begins with openness and meaningful conversation.
Marius Pedersen’s leader at Clarion Hotel® Trondheim serves as a compelling example of what that openness looks like in action.
"My mental health today is closely linked to my job. My manager has given me support and opportunities every step of the way, despite the fact that I’ve struggled significantly with my mental health and been given many chances," says Marius Pedersen.
For a period, he was severely ill.
"It ended with me being involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital following a suicide attempt," he continues.
After a few days, he was finally able to call someone. He called his mother first, and then his leader. The response he received meant everything.
"I was told to focus on getting better, get the help I needed, and not give up because I contributed a lot at work – and that I had a place to come back to when I got well," Marius says. That was the moment he realized he truly had something to lose.
His manager's words were a turning point, fueling Marius's drive to return. Because he had the courage to be transparent about his struggles from the start, he received the care and support he needed – personally, professionally, and throughout his hospital stay.
Today, Marius is back at work and in a healthy mental state. His strongest advice to anyone struggling is to talk to someone about what you are going through, including one or more colleagues, and to admit that you need help.
Striking the right work-life balance
Opening up about mental health in the workplace is easier today than it once was, according to Johanna Furenbäck, General Manager at Comfort Hotel™ Grand Central.
"Here with us, it has become much more common to talk about the things we struggle with than it was before, and I think the pandemic taught us a lot. Mental health gained a bigger spot on the agenda, and I see many examples across Strawberry hotels where mental health is discussed more openly," she says.
When Johanna returned to work after her first maternity leave, she experienced firsthand the pressure of trying to balance it all.
"Suddenly, work wasn’t my only focus, so I spoke openly with my team about having to prioritize differently. I was going to continue being just as good a leader, but in a different way than before," she says.
Her tip for finding everyday balance is to focus on all aspects of life simultaneously – including work, leisure, family time, and more.
For Johanna, her colleagues helped her find a healthy balance.
"And I could vent about the struggles of motherhood to other colleagues who had young children. Everything just feels so much better when you’re open and talk to each other," Johanna says.
The right tools
Empowering people to help
Strawberry has a long-term plan and strategy to help our leaders help others – including through a digital workshop for all leaders in Strawberry. Here, managers learn how to support their employees through various challenges, how to recognize someone who is struggling, and how to maintain employees' good health and well-being.
A great workplace isn't just about good leaders; it is equally about the colleagues around you. Therefore, over the long term, a dedicated digital tool for employees will also be made available, containing information related to mental health and well-being at Strawberry – including actionable advice on what colleagues or managers can do to support a struggling team member.
With even greater openness, the goal is to continuously lower the barrier for speaking up. Working here should feel good – plain and simple.
Partnership with The Human Aspect
To strengthen our focus on mental health and well-being, Strawberry partners with The Human Aspect. The foundation offers valuable insight through a series of interviews conducted with people facing various challenges—whether it's anxiety, depression, loneliness, cultural differences, or general life struggles.
On their website, you can listen to interviews with individuals sharing challenges you might relate to, and hear how they navigated through them.
And by the way: We have several open positions available if you’d like to work for a company that takes mental health seriously.
