It’s ‘Time to Talk’ - 4 ways HR leaders can encourage mental health at work

February 1, marks "Time to Talk Day" . It's a chance for all of us to be more open about our mental health and talk about how we feel. Effective organizations understand that we can’t solve today’s problems with yesterday’s tools and concepts. This is also the case for how we talk about and promote mental health at work.?

Rolling out initiatives in an effective way can be challenging for organizations. However, the first step and the most important part of promoting a healthy workplace is to create an environment that welcomes open dialogue and encourages change. ?

1. Deploy emotionally intelligent managers to boost employee wellbeing ?

Managers who create safe spaces for employees to talk about how they are genuinely feeling are better equipped to empower their teams through personal and professional challenges. ?

Emotional intelligence is a necessary, yet all-too-often overlooked, quality for effective managers. Organizations must train managers on how to comprehend and manage the emotions of others to relate to and foster a sense of inclusivity and belonging across their team.?

2. Take your PTO and encourage others to too! ?

Companies and team leaders should encourage their employees to take time off. People need to recharge and keep their wellbeing in check. Bosses should lead by example and be open about taking time off. Company leaders should ask themselves if they are noticing when a team member is taking less and less PTO. Remember: open dialogues are key. Ask them if they feel like they can’t take PTO, if they’re burnt out, and, most critically, how you can help. ?

3. Prioritize financial wellness ?

Recent AWI research reveals that 71% of employees struggle to make ends meet and compensation is now the number-one reason global workers job hunt. Employers should view fair pay as a critical pillar of financial wellness. Beyond economic stability, people who live comfortably with their salary are almost twice as likely to feel like they belong somewhere, compared to those who are struggling financially. ?

4. Cultivate a culture of belonging? ?

Employees who feel a deep sense of belonging at work are more likely to experience greater job satisfaction, better mental health, higher levels of productivity, and lower levels of both fatigue and emotional exhaustion.?

To achieve this, companies should focus on inclusivity, diversity, and psychological safety initiatives. These include diverse hiring practices, unconscious bias training, and actively promoting a sense of community. Beyond boosting employee wellbeing and belonging rates, workers will thrive professionally by harnessing the power of their diverse perspectives for increased innovation and creativity. ?

By focusing on employee wellbeing, leaders reduce stress, absenteeism, and burnout to turbocharge productivity and engagement company-wide. What do you do to prioritize your mental health at work? ?