EMPLOYEE'S MENTAL HEALTH

Much like a virus, mental health in the workplace is contagious. It’s possible for employees or employers to “spread” emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral patterns to their coworkers. This is because, as social creatures, humans are designed to quickly attune to one another’s emotional state. The good news is that it’s also possible to pick up on a good emotional state. That’s why supporting employee mental health is critical to the growth, productivity, and innovation of your workplace. The following are methods of supporting employee’s mental health;

1. Provide mental health resources

Employee assistance programs, or EAPs, are employee benefits programs designed to help employees resolve issues that could impact their lives. The idea is to address personal issues before they interfere with work performance. While EAPs are helpful — and companies that offer them experience significantly less absenteeism and workplace distress — they are painfully underutilized. Coaching is also an effective way to help lay a foundation for mental wellness by improving self-understanding.??

2. Offer mental health training

Access to therapy and mental health services is not enough. Even if you provide coverage for mental and behavioral health concerns, what employees request the most is training on where to go and how to use these resources. Teach managers signs of depression, anxiety, and other common mental health conditions and how to intervene in an appropriate way. Having an open line of communication with their manager can reduce the stress of not wanting team members to “find out” about what they’re going through.

3. Train managers on what to do if they see signs of emotional distress?

The “old school” method of dealing with mental health at work is to pretend it doesn’t exist. But that doesn’t work anymore. People need to be able to bring their whole selves to work, and they thrive when they do. In contrast, pretending to be okay is counter-productive because it makes people less likely to love their jobs. We can help by training managers to offer support to employees that may not be feeling their best. Teach them to listen without judgement and offer next steps to support them. This could be signing off on a mental health day, offering flexible work hours, giving more time on a project, a referral to an EAP, or starting a conversation with human resources to explore options.

4. Use communication to reduce stigma

Be open about conversations regarding well-being and mental health. You don’t have to divulge every aspect of your personal life. Sharing a simple “I feel overwhelmed” or “I’m having a rough day” can be wonderfully affirming. Being able to be honest with your managers, colleagues, and teams boosts camaraderie, retention, and even productivity. Let them know it’s okay to have an off day.

5. Promote well-being as part of the company culture

Celebrate your team’s healthy self-care habits .Demonstrate work-life balance and take time out for your own mental health. Make sure your team knows that you value their well-being as much as their productivity, and emphasize that they don’t have to sacrifice their mental health for performance.

Mental fitness, not mental health

If there’s one silver lining from the uncertainty of the last two years, it’s the increased attention given to support employee mental health. The conversation about well-being is an important one. But in order to thrive, it’s not enough just to treat mental illness. We have to get ahead of stress, anxiety, and depression by emphasizing the importance of mental fitness. Cultivating our awareness of how we think, behave, and feel gives us more than an extra edge at work. It gives us the building blocks to live empowered, more fulfilling lives.