How can companies and managers better support their employees’ mental health overall?

In Today’s corporate world, Employees battle mental health issues more than anything else.

Ranging from anxiety, frustration, loss of concentration to stress and depression, It leaves an overall negative impact on the productivity output of such employee(s).

Companies and Managers are awakening to the reality of mental health issues in the workplace.

Poor mental health negatively affects?your employee(s) performance and productivity, while interfering with their ability to communicate effectively with other co-workers, eventually?leading to the breakdown of communication in your company.

This leads to the big question.

How can companies support their employees’ mental health overall?

1.??????Minimize the stigma and social ostracism that comes with Mental Health Issues:

Make sure your employees understand it is perfectly fine to speak up when going through a mental health crisis. Your employees, unless otherwise told, would fear speaking up when experiencing these emotions. The feelings, especially when bottled up would lead to severe decline in performance.

Let your employees know that it’s safe to speak up.

2.??????Build a work culture that encourages employees to support each other:

Create a work environment where employees are applauded for supporting each other. Encourage them to check in with each other, encourage team dinner, and encourage humor and teamwork. This will build a sense of togetherness in your employees. Thus, they would be more willing to support co-workers experiencing mental health issues.

3.??????Introduce EAPs.

Create an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that helps your employees cope and resolve personal issues that can impede the efficiency of their work output, and physical and emotional wellbeing.

EAPs address a broad and complex body of issues affecting mental and well-being, such as family problems and psychological disorders. Introducing EAPs would go a long way in addressing and alleviating the mental health?problems in the workplace.

Also, speak about EAPs. For instance, New York’s YMCA of Greater Rochester changed their communication strategy about their EAP. Instead of notices on Boards, they switched to monthly mental health newsletters.

While there are more strategies your company should implement such as including mental health coverage as part of your health plan, conducting leadership and management training, etc The listed three should be top priorities on your list.

Paying attention to your employees’ mental health leads to increased work outputs, reduced sick absenteeism, and healthy employer-employee, employee-employee relationships in the workplace.