Having peace of mind is a priority. But not everyone is making deliberate life choices to protect our mental and emotional state. During talks to many employees on how they feel while going to work or working remotely, we found out that most of them need support to manage stress or counseling to battle mild symptoms of anxiety and depression.
I’m not surprised about the results of these interviews. In the U.S., 1 in 5 adults experiences some mental clutter in the workplace. As a result, they often miss work or have lower productivity than they usually have.
Today, organizations recognize the importance of the mental wellness of their workforce. As a result, they’re enhancing their emotional and mental health benefits package and conducting regular wellness programs for their employees.
The role of business leaders is vital in creating a work environment where everyone can perform at their best. In addition, there are studies that workplaces that promote mental health and well-being are more productive by up to 12%. Hence, managers should prioritize this matter for business growth.
Here are ways that your company can improve and support your workforce mental health and well-being:
Understand Your Employees without Judgment
If employees have not developed strong positive relationships at work, chances are they are prone to stress and other external factors.
Managers should always talk to their subordinates and understand the signs of emotional distress. Sometimes, employees need people that support what they’re experiencing without judgment.
For organizations, you may conduct a regular mental and wellness talk for your employees with the guidance of a professional. However, if you want it to be private, use an online survey from time to time so that your staff can express what they feel.
Create an Internal Employee Support Group
It’s always good to know that someone will listen to you to share your problems.
More often than not, employees may be skeptical about talking to professionals about their mental health.
Create an employee support group with the help of your HR team. In addition, you can communicate with digital channels and publish mental health newsletters regularly.
The newsletter may contain contact details of mental health professionals, inspiring stories, online resources, etc.
Assure them that all information they share in the support group sessions is confidential.
Make emotional well-being a talking point for your managers when they recruit new talents and create an inclusive culture that encourages people to bring their best selves to work. Moreover, employees can learn more about mental health and resilience by attending seminars and online talks.
Improve Your Medical Benefits with Mental Health Coverage
How many of your employees visit a psychiatrist or a psychologist for mental wellness sessions? I guess you can count them on the fingers of one hand.
Aside from the financial burden of professional therapy and counseling, there’s a stigma about talking to a mental health professional.
Hence, you may take the initiative to choose a health insurance package that includes mental health coverage to help employees overcome stress, anxiety, and depression.
Promote Overall Well-Being for Your Workforce
I remember when I visited the office of one of my clients, and I saw an empty room. So I asked him what the purpose of this space was. He told me it was meant for meditation, mindfulness training, and spiritual support.
He added that employees often enter that room to pray, meditate, or destress while in the middle of their work.
Many called it a “destress” room. However, it builds connections during group meditations, emotional support sharing, and other healthy well-being activities.
Indeed, we all need mental health support once in a while. It leads us to the purpose and the direction to achieve our goals. It’s time to make mental health and well-being a priority. Discover other related topics in our blog and create a happy workplace for everyone.
Olivia Yu has decades of experience in the Human Resources industry. She’s the Regional Director for Asia Pacific of a famous international HR company. Olivia’s international experience inspires her to write articles about human resources and global staffing.
