Mental health has become a crucial topic in the workplace. The pandemic spotlighted the importance of this key concern, showing how prolonged stress can wear down even the most resilient employees. Now that the COVID threat has faded, are you doing enough to improve mental health in your workplace?
It’s an important question. A majority of workers (59%) say that stress has weighed on them in the past month. Meanwhile, nearly nine out of 10 employees (87%) believe their employers can help alleviate these negative consequences.
Given these statistics, mental health becomes a pivotal business concern. Minimizing the harmful effects of stress can lead to a more productive workforce. At the same time, having support policies in place will also make it easier to attract and keep top talent.
To achieve these benefits, you need to upgrade your mental health offerings.
Here are three ideas you can implement to improve mental health at your workplace:
Flexible Scheduling
A strong work/life balance offers the best defense against stress-induced mental health threats. You can nurture this by giving your employees a bigger say in their overall schedules. A flexible work situation lets your top team members fit work more effectively in their overall lives outside work, setting the stage for sustainable performance over the long haul.
Even with an optimal day-to-day schedule, your employees will face stress. To prevent this from becoming dangerous to their mental health, you need to create a structure that allows for rest and recovery. This means encouraging your employees to get the most out their vacation time.
Sometimes your standard vacation policy doesn’t provide enough flexibility. Your team members might need an extended break to relieve a particularly stressful time in their lives. For these situations, consider sabbatical or extended-leave policies.
Provide Mental Health Support
Time away from work can help your employees minimize stress. However, there are ways to improve their mental health during working hours as well.
Build a structure that supports this crucial goal. Provide material support for mental health programs and set aside resources to support your employees in this effort. Here are a few steps you can take:
- Consider setting aside a meditation room or other peaceful place in the office.
- Subsidize activities like gym memberships and yoga classes.
- Provide mental health coverage as part of your benefits package.
Help Your Employees Build a Support System
Protecting mental health represents a group effort. Your employees will improve their outlook if they have a strong support system to turn to when stress mounts. As a secondary benefit, you’ll see improved teamwork and collaboration.
Start by destigmatizing discussions of mental health. Make improving on this front an explicit goal of your corporate culture. This will make it easier for your employees to reach out when they need help.
From there, develop processes that let your employees strengthen their connections with one another. You can do this through social events, like company outings. At the same time, you can encourage clubs and affinity groups within your organization.
Meanwhile, technology can provide an excellent tool for fostering these connections. Electronic message boards and other similar offerings can link employees who might otherwise be intimidated by social interactions at work. These efforts become even more central if you have remote workers as part of your team.
Need More Information? Contact Our Experts at PrideStaff Bend
Strong mental health programs can help you develop a strong connection to your workforce. For more team-building improvements, turn to a top recruiter, like PrideStaff Bend. You’ll get the guidance and support you need to get the most out of your company.
Contact PrideStaff Bend today to find the employees you need to move forward.
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