MEDIA

How to Improve Employee Mental Health

October 11, 2021  |   tagMental health

employers and mental healthMany business leaders think that their employees’ mental wellness is unimportant, or perhaps none of their business. However, how employees think, feel, and behave has an impact on everything from productivity and collaboration to their ability to keep the workplace safe.

Assisting employees in improving their mental health may be one of the most important steps an employer can take to improve an individual’s well-being as well as the company’s overall health; absences, decreased productivity, and higher healthcare costs are just a few examples of how mental health issues cost businesses money.

Here are a few strategies that business leaders may use to create a mentally stable workplace.

Promote A Work/Life Balance

Making a big point of being happy that people are coming in early and working late, or expecting them to work from home in the evenings, is detrimental to your company’s long-term success. Without a good work/life balance, production will suffer, and workers will be more prone to burnout. 

It’s far better to help workers to take frequent vacations where they can disconnect from the workplace. Don’t expect everyone to respond to email 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Encourage everyone to have a full and meaningful life outside of the workplace; people who participate in activities, spend time with loved ones and take care of themselves become better workers, and their mental health is much improved too.  

Discuss Mental Health In The Workplace

Don’t be reluctant to discuss stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses as a matter of course within the workplace. Make it obvious that everyone struggles to maintain mental health at times and that it’s far better to talk about problems than to keep them bottled up. 

Managers should be educated on the symptoms of mental illness and trained on how to react properly. A compassionate discussion between a supervisor and an employee can be helpful in persuading a person to seek assistance when they need it. 

If you don’t feel confident in talking about mental health yourself, then it can be a good idea to offer chaplain services to be there for your staff. In this way, you can be sure that they are getting the advice and help they need, and they can talk to someone other than you, which might make them feel more comfortable about opening up.  

Help Your Employees Manage Their Workloads

Do your workers have little control over their job, a heavy workload, and frequent time constraints? They may be more vulnerable to mental health issues and decreased well-being if that is the case. 

Employees may not be able to have complete control over their workload and hours. Help them identify areas where they can make their own choices and manage their own time. Make certain that your staff is properly trained so they can perform their duties in the right way, potentially saving them time and stress. Look for chances for advancement and make sure you’re accessible to provide assistance and ideas. Be as adaptable as possible. Flexible scheduling has been shown in studies to enhance staff productivity and decrease absenteeism, as well as promote better mental health

At Marketplace Chaplains we have experience in these areas and would love to help. If you would like to know more about how our chaplains would be an important, effective addition to your employees and company, please contact us today at 1-800-775-7657.