Employee Health: Creating a Workplace That Supports Mental Health

Although discussing mental health can often be taboo, especially at work, it seems that employees want their organization to support mental health and well-being. Here are some ways to create a supportive environment at work.

Enable healthier mental health at work by creating awareness about employee health

Positive work environment: A business may suffer significantly from overall mental health issues. Almost 80% of adults with depression reported at least some trouble with their job, home, or social activities as a result of their depression symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of equity and social justice problems, and the current economic downturn, mental health has become one of the most critical problems of our day.

Good mental health and severe mental illness might be seen as opposite ends of a broad continuum of mental health. Due to life's typical challenges, many people will have fluctuations on the milder end of the spectrum, while others will experience fluctuations or stabilisation within the range of mental illness. Most people will be able to work productively, especially if their employer is aware of and supportive of mental health.

Even though discussing mental health can often be taboo, especially at work, it seems that employees want their employer to support mental health and well-being.

Neglecting to assist employees' mental health harms an organization's bottom line as well as the well-being of the workers. Investing in workplace mental health and wellness boosts productivity, retention, and recruitment; it also minimises absenteeism, medical expenditures, and risks associated with employee liability.

Although addressing mental health can be difficult, companies and HR professionals are in a strong position to influence attitudes and provide a network of support. Here are a few practical tips for supporting your employees:

1. Increase awareness

Access to information and tools from national & international organizations including the American Psychiatric Association, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Mental Health America, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NIMHANS should be made available to employees. Also, companies should create their projects and programmes as well.

2. Offer training to managers

Provide managers with the chance to participate in essential training to support employees with mental health issues and the overall welfare of the workforce. There is a propensity in management to look for a one-size-fits-all answer, but in practice, people act, think, and feel in a variety of predictable ways. Every individual is unique, and managers need to recognise this.

3. Manage the work-life balance

A healthy work environment must include a work-life balance, thus businesses should provide flexible scheduling alternatives. Keeping a healthy work-life balance lowers stress and prevents burnout at work.

4. Mental health policies in place

Your business is losing out on a significant potential if you don't have appropriate mental health policies in place. If you currently have some policies in place, have a look at them to see whether they can help employees more effectively.

5. Treat all employees fairly

Expecting that your staff members share your beliefs and preferences will create a workplace that is low in diversity and inclusion, which puts those who identify as different at risk for developing health issues.

More than ever, it's essential to inform staff members of available mental health services to prevent burnout, and mental breakdowns, and lower the chance of suicide. 

A good workplace environment and a place where people desire to work will be created by businesses that support their employees' mental health and encourage an open discourse about mental health issues. Win-win situation.

(Disclaimer: This article is based on general information and does not substitute for an expert's advice. Zee News does not confirm this.)