Our mental health is extremely important, and the workplace can have direct effects on it. Most people work at least 40 hours a week, and sometimes even more. Depending on the person, the stress of work may be a direct trigger to depression, anxiety, and a host of other mental health problems. Because of this, many companies have begun putting a focus on mental health within their organization. Business leaders understand that when they invest in their employee’s mental health, they gain a lot out of it as well. When employees are happier, they’re likely to be more productive and loyal to their organization, which can help the company become more successful. Here are a few ways businesses can promote mental health awareness within their workplace.
Flexibility
In today’s extremely busy world, flexibility is a big deal. Employees have all sorts of responsibilities, such as taking care of their children or being involved in various other activities outside of work. This means flexibility can make a world of difference in employees’ mental health. Some employees may ask if they can start the day a little earlier or a little later, depending on what their own unique situation is. They may also struggle to work in an office, and prefer working from their home or another suitable environment. If you’re flexible with your employees, they’ll likely be happier overall.
Training Managers
One of the bigger hurdles in recognizing and addressing mental health problems in an employee is with their managers. If an employee doesn’t speak up, managers may not realize they’re unhappy or struggling with their mental health. It’s important that managers are properly trained to not only recognize when an employee is struggling but to respond appropriately as well. This can start by helping employees and managers feel more comfortable talking about mental health, as well as having managers encourage employees to seek help when they’re struggling. Guarantee confidential conversations when it comes to things relating to mental health, and thank them for being so open and honest with you. This can help nurture your relationship and make mental health an all-around easier topic to discuss.
Cultivate A Positive Workplace Culture
The culture of your workplace can make or break the mental health situation. When a workplace has a toxic culture, it can have an extremely negative impact on employees in various ways. It’s important for leaders to work on creating a culture where seeking help when you’re down is a positive thing, and that stigma’s against people with mental health issues should be taboo. It’s important that your culture recognizes that mental health is just as important as physical health. We stay home from work when we’re physically ill, and we should do the same when we’re struggling with mental health without it coming back to bite us later on. It’s also important for your business to recognize that mental health issues may not even arise due to the workplace, but because of events happening in an employee’s private life.
For more information, visit New Horizon Counseling Center’s website.