May is Mental Health Month and this year it’s more important than ever to take stock of our mental health regularly. To that end, Cannon Quality Group has provided each employee two half days off this month, away from the fast pace of the medtech industry, specifically to devote to his/her mental health and wellbeing.

What did we do with the time? Here are some of the ways CQG staff invested in their wellbeing in the additional free time:

Richard Goeb, sales, said “I definitely did not think too much about ISO 13485:2016 or MDSAP – I took a nice long breezy bike ride followed by some old fashioned letter writing to family and friends.”

Liz Wellwood, Director of Delivery and Operations/Quality Team Member added “being part of an organization that promotes overall health and wellness by prioritizing work-life balance, and planning time to focus on mental health has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working at CQG. Knowing that I am genuinely supported in taking the time I need to clear my head and re-energize has helped get me through life in the time of a pandemic!”

Nicolle Cannon, CQG’s founder, said “We wanted to not only say that as an organization, we support mental health initiatives, but to actually give our quality team members the time to proactively manage their mental health.”

Everyone has a different way to unwind, recharge, and de-stress, but the important point is to do it, and encourage others to do it as well. Regularly taking stock of your mental health is as important as your physical health. The internal audits, supplier audits, ISO certifications, and doc control SOPs will all be there waiting for you when you return.

We’d also like to celebrate the behavioral health heroes on the frontlines. After all, one in five adults in America will experience a mental illness and nearly one in twenty-five live with a serious mental illness. At CQG, we believe proactively managing your wellbeing is something that should be encouraged and supported.