Key Tips On How To Improve Your Employees’ Mental Health At Work

You’ve been running your business for five years now. Your business started out as a small, one-room business, but now it has grown exponentially. You’re now renting a three-story building, and you’re operating 24/7.

Because your business operates in an industry which is fast-paced and demanding, as a business owner you’re also expected to keep up with the times – and you do.

You’ve purchased the latest equipment and improved internal and external processes. Most importantly, you’ve hired the best people in the industry to work with you. You believe that all of these things will be essential for your business to attain long-term success in the industry.

But among all of the resources you have, you should realize the most important is your employees. They’re the people you trust, who allow the business to run and operate even if you’re not physically present.

That’s why you should take the time to improve your employees’ mental health at work. If you don’t, your business might be jeopardized in the long run – and of course you don’t want that to happen, do you?

But First, What Is Mental Health?

Mental health is a state of well-being in which a person can realize their potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to their community.

Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are common and treatable. People living with them can and do work well, especially when they have support.

The cost of ignoring this is real. The World Health Organization estimates that 12 billion working days are lost each year to depression and anxiety, at a cost of about US$1 trillion in lost productivity.

How Can You Improve Your Employees’ Mental Health At Work?

Yes, mental health is essential. Once a person’s mental health is deteriorating, his/her emotional, psychological and social well-being is adversely affected as well. Your business will be affected once these things happen.

As a business owner, the key tips on how to improve your employees’ mental health at work presented below might be helpful for you:

1. Educate your employees about mental health

Unlike physical injuries, mental health issues can’t be recognized at one glance, and signs can build slowly. Early support helps far more than waiting for a crisis.

That’s why it pays to educate your employees on mental health and its risk factors. The WHO also recommends training managers to recognize and respond to employees in distress. You should also equip them with knowledge on how to seek professional help for their illness independently. You can provide brochures about mental health, invite a credible speaker to discuss this issue, or include a discussion during employees’ orientation.

2. Talk to them

Yes, you’re a busy person, and you might have a lot on your plate as you’re reading this right now. But to ensure that your employees’ mental health is optimal, you should adjust your schedule to talk to them.

These are not about meetings or any formal setup, but mere casual conversations and asking how are they doing will go a long way. Create a friendly persona so your employees can be comfortable talking to you.

These same efforts should also come from managers and supervisors so they can do the same with their subordinates.

3. Exercise and keep them active

Focusing on the business’ operations is a good thing, but making decisions with your employees in mind is beneficial in the long run too. Tap into help from other organizations for a run or a yoga session for your employees during weekends or during their breaks. Look for activities which your employees will enjoy and gradually invest themselves.

All of these activities will allow their bodies to release endorphins, which can lift mood and ease stress. Yes, these might cost you money, but just think of it this way – you’re putting an investment into people who will contribute to the success of your business.

4. Ask for help

One of the reasons why your employees are stressed is because you’ve probably given them responsibilities which they can’t fulfill.

For example, you might be transferring a person from HR to the administrative team because you see their potential. Once you do this, you can’t expect that this person will perform incredibly well after the transfer. Training should take place.

For you to give proper training to an employee, ask for help from different players in the industry or those who are adept in a specific field. This will help the employee get through the transition, maximize their potential for success, and mean your business won’t be hindered at the same time.

5. Allow them to take breaks

When everything is too hectic in the workplace, some business owners tend to solely focus on what needs to be done rather than thinking of how their employees are doing. Don’t be one of them. Yes, things always seem urgent, but always pay attention to your employees as well. If one of your employees asks to step out to take a break, allow them to do so. Don’t overwork an employee because their output will be affected. Your policies should also enable the employees to take paid leave as this will be a good way for your employees to recharge. Your business should constantly promote work-life balance.

6. Create a healthy working environment

You’re the boss, so you can decide on what to do or not to do in the business. One of the things you should greatly consider is creating a healthy working environment for your employees. There are many different ways that you can create a healthy working environment, including providing a safe workplace for your employees where they are free from any kind of personal injuries and by allowing them to communicate across different teams in the business. There are a lot of ways you can do it, you just have to be creative about it and ensure that everyone in your business understands this process.

7. Point people to professional help

You aren’t a therapist, and you don’t need to be. Make sure employees know how to reach professional help, such as an employee assistance program or their own doctor.

In the U.S., anyone in crisis can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24 hours a day.

Final Thoughts…

You should never take your employees for granted. Your business has become what it is today because of them. If you want to have that same growth and success in coming years, you should greatly consider taking care of their mental health.

Yes, stress will always be there, but there are numerous ways you can inject help to improve your employees’ mental health.

You just have to be innovative when doing it to guarantee that your business operations are not compromised in the process.

Sources

• Mental health at work, World Health Organization
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 988 Lifeline

” Adeline Robinson ”

Adeline Robinson is one of most promising young law writers. She writes pieces on law topics for common readers. She is an avid sports fan and loves watching games if she has free time.