Become a Mental Health Champion For Your Workplace

A global survey conducted by Peldon Rose found that 72% of employees want employers to champion mental health and well-being, but 63% think their workplace is unhelpful. Further, a report by McKinsey suggests that 67% of employees with a mental illness still find it challenging to access care.?

The statistics above are striking. But what’s more concerning is the ongoing mental health crisis, especially when three-fourths of employees today believe they have more on-the-job stress than a generation ago.?

In a recent chat with a leading HR, I casually ended up throwing some light on the concern and said, “Mental health not just needs dialogues, but people who champion it, in a way that inspires others.”

Although I said it lightly, the core idea behind it has to be one of the strongest that we, as YourDOST, have advocated in helping organisations/leaders build a happier workplace. While bringing emotional wellness into the workplace is the first step, there’s so much more to do if one chooses to lead by example.?

Are you a leader willing to challenge deep-rooted stigmas, encourage positive mental health, and be the first POC if someone needs professional help within your workforce???

Here are some expert based tips to help you do just that by becoming a ‘mental health champion for your workplace:

Master one-on-one conversations:

Various studies suggest that 83% of workers suffer from work-related stress, and yet only 40% of them talk to their employer about it. As a leader, we need to make ourselves available, know when and how to engage, and avoid judgments at any cost. Doing this can be challenging for individuals who have faced stigma or with a mental health condition.?

Here’s what our experts suggest as a preferred way to become an ally here:

• Listen before you speak, look for signs, and watch for potential sensitivities.
• Reflect on your own biases and correct them before you begin the conversation
• Be open to sharing your vulnerabilities if you are okay with it?
• Don’t beat yourself up if your first attempts fail?
• Watch for red flags like less motivation, missed deadlines, frequent reschedules, etc
• Always pick a ‘good day’ when they seem more approachable
• Tread slowly during conversations by starting gently?
• Choose their preferred mode of communication

Bring empathy into communications:

Research claims that 79% of people quit their job due to a lack of appreciation and 53% because they feel disrespected at work. Language, therefore, is crucial to making your organisation an open culture and a safe space for emotional wellness.

Here’s what we should consider while communicating with our employees instead:

• Use of supportive language that does not negate their dialogue
• Avoiding the use of any stigma or bias, irrespective of its relevance in the conversation
• Encouraging dialogue around help and offering support with due permission
• Using non-verbal cues and ensuring cooperation and validation?
• Being sensitive in communicating tough feedback , especially in a remote setup
• Bringing and reassuring that help is available whenever they need it

Integrate emotional wellness into the culture?

Considering the dire need of the situation today, adopting an emotional wellness program is a must for your organisation’s policy. A Workforces Report released by Alfac suggests that 70% of employees enrolled in wellness programs have reported higher job satisfaction than those not enrolled in them.

However, just adopting might not help. A recent study by MediBuddy and PeopleMatters? found that over 69 percent of companies today have dedicated employee wellness strategies. Still 55 percent of respondents lack a structured body overseeing the proper execution of the wellness strategy.

As a leader, it’s important to ensure active integration of the EWP you choose for your company.?

Here’s how:

• Choose an emotional wellness provider that’s not just an EAP. Still unsure of the difference, reach out to us here.
• Set up an internal wellness committee to monitor, support, and evaluate integration
• Set monthly/quarterly/yearly goals like you’d for physical wellness?
• Practice what you preach yourself, and ensure that to err, is human.
• Get into word-of-mouth marketing and make some webinars/workshops mandatory
• Keep communications and feedback a two-way street to make yourself approachable

There’s no one sure-shot way to champion ‘mental wellness’ at your organisation. While I’ve collated the concerns that need immediate intervention, another way to look at it is to introduce peer support groups, something we actively endorse at YourDOST. Peer support groups work wonders for employees looking for allies in their journey and help validate experiences. A recent addition currently being hosted by us is the Power Circle - of women, by women, and for women.

Mental health challenges can be solved - no matter the severity. All that matters is that we go beyond transactional relationships and let our human sides take over the workplace.?