5 Ways to Promote Mental Health in the Workplace
What makes a workplace healthy? Meeting sales goals, acquiring new customers, and promoting brand awareness are great accomplishments. However, they aren’t the only measure of success. A thriving work environment has employee wellness at its core. Promoting mental health in the workplace is a win for workers, the company, and customers.
Pressure at work and home has been mounting. High achievers are pushing their limits in pursuit of bigger goals. Companies encourage everyone to “go the extra mile,” which is often outside of their normal job duties. These forces create worker burnout, thoughts of being undervalued, and feelings that work/life balance isn't feasible.
It’s not all bad news. A healthy workplace is an achievable goal with investment in resources and emphasis on education and collaboration.
Why Promote Mental Health?
Mental health is a vital component of overall well-being. Most businesses are realizing how essential it is. As a result, they are doing these things to highlight the importance of mental health in the workplace:
Fostering sustainable self-care habits
Destigmatizing mental illness conversations
Research and data also supports mental health initiatives. The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) revealed these statistics in its annual workplace mental health report:
25 percent of respondents said they are dissatisfied with their workplace culture.
Only 58 percent of employees feel comfortable talking about mental health at work.
84 percent of people agree that mental health training is necessary to create a positive environment.
Over half (52 percent) of workers said they had feelings of burnout, with 37 percent stating it was so overwhelming that it made it hard to do their job.
Another survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) corroborated these sentiments. In fact, 77 percent of workers polled said they had experienced work-related stress. Of that group, 57 percent said this escalated to burnout. Further, 19 percent remarked that their workplace was toxic.
These findings demonstrate the effects of not addressing or supporting mental health in the workplace.
Better Mental Health Yields Benefits
When you devote more resources to mental health education and services, you’ll start seeing various positive results:
Increased productivity: A culture of collaboration demands trust and creativity. If employees are struggling with anxiety or depression, they’ll likely have trouble focusing and completing tasks. Employees with access to mental health support services are more productive. They also have stronger resiliency when faced with challenges and setbacks.
Professional and personal development: Professionals can develop better interpersonal skills, manage anxiety, and work towards personal and professional goals with mental health support. Fostering employee development demonstrates your investment in their long-term success.
Burnout prevention: Burnout is one of the biggest challenges employees face. It can occur in any industry, company, or role. Offering mental health resources curbs burnout before it becomes debilitating. Employees can then enjoy a more sustainable work/life balance.
Reduced turnover and absenteeism: Mental health debilitates people just as physical ailments do. This can cause voluntary turnover and more absences. A study on providing mental health resources determined that when present, turnover decreased by 22 percent and absenteeism by 12 percent.
5 Strategies to Boost Mental Health
Supporting mental health in the workplace requires a multi-faceted approach. From personal wellness to company policies, here’s how to create a healthy work environment for all employees:
#1 Implement Company-Wide Policies
Company-wide policies regarding mental well-being convey your commitment to employees. In general, anti-discrimination and employee leave policies are effective places to start. These initiatives can destigmatize mental health in the workplace.
An anti-discrimination policy helps protect employees going through a mental health crisis. It stands as a guard against discrimination perpetrated by their employer or coworkers. A leave policy guarantees employees dedicated time off for mental health reasons.
#2 Increase Awareness
Part of promoting mental health in the workplace is removing the shame or taboos of mental health. To do this, you can:
Provide educational materials.
Hold seminars on mental health topics.
Ensure employees feel supported by management.
In doing so, you’ll create a more welcoming workplace. Employees will feel more comfortable voicing their challenges without fear of professional repercussions.
#3 Promote Work / Life Balance
Leading by example is another crucial way to nurture mental health in the workplace. Foster healthy boundaries around work expectations after hours. Let employees know they don’t have to be tied to their devices 24/7. Encourage them to disconnect and take a break from work on their own time. Additionally, urge them to take their earned time off to revitalize.
Demonstrating your commitment to work/life balance will empower employees to prioritize their lives outside the office.
#4 Focus on Overall Wellness
Mental health is just one area that contributes to overall well-being. Things like diet, exercise, and sleep all play essential roles in reducing stress and improving mood. As such, they should be part of your plans.
You can adopt company-wide wellness initiatives around healthy lifestyle habits. It could be as simple as stocking the breakroom with healthier snacks. To energize the body and the brain, consider organizing activities like hiking or yoga. Overall, prioritizing employee wellness cultivates a more cohesive workplace.
#5 Offer Resources
Dealing with mental illness is extremely isolating, which makes asking for help harder. Advocate for employees to seek support with access to resources for counseling services and support groups. Sometimes, guiding an employee toward professional help is the best way to offer support. Taking the time to do this can lead to improved well-being, and they’ll appreciate that you care about them as a person.
Implement Mental Health Programs
Are you ready to promote mental health in the workplace but unsure where to start? Partner with Boon to deliver professional mental health resources to employees. We nurture your team’s unique skills and capacity for resilience and creativity. Many programs designed to aid employees in overcoming mental well-being challenges are available to employers. Our solutions assist them with setting personal goals and reframing professional relationships.\
Schedule a demo to learn more about our personalized mental well-being solutions.
