Mental health is crucial for employee well-being and productivity. However, not every company is well aware of the right practices. Get to know some initiatives to start.
Having a Table Tennis corner and a gym is cool for a workplace. However, it will not have a positive effect on the employees unless you keep a keen eye on their well-being. It requires a well-balanced physical and mental health to continue work with consistency and productivity. The imbalance between them can cause a lack of productivity and a weakened workforce. Taking care of employee’s mental and physical well-being is highly beneficial for the company and helps to retain potential employees with other services and well-being activities. If not focused on the matter, even stress among employees can make a business run badly.
Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can cause a loss in productivity which can lead to expenses collective $1 trillion per year. Employees’ good mental is important for various reasons. Such as,
- It can help to reduce loss in revenue from absenteeism.
- Good mental health promotes better decisions and higher-quality work
- Helps to pay attention to safety instructions so, employees can prevent workplace injuries which increases the healthcare cost
- Allows communication better with coworkers with smooth collaborations
- Good mental health offers positivity and boosts morale
- It helps the employees provide their best selves. They will be more likely to stay engaged with the work and not leave the company
How to promote wellness in the workplace?
In order to promote employee wellness at work. You need to create a culture of respect, caring, and psychological safety. A culture that cares about employees’ feelings, goals, development, and overall mental state; is what every workplace needs to boost their productivity. Here are some ways to do it.
- Create an environment that supports employees’ personal growth
- Show employees the impact of their work and how it is influencing the brand
- Remove ambiguity around job expectations
- Recognize and reward good work
- Set boundaries around language, communication, and time outside of work
- Encourage employees to speak up about issues
10 Wellness Initiatives for the Workplace
- Mental health and wellness support
Almost every other adult individual these days is suffering from anxiety and stress which affects their work and performance on a massive scale. More than 6.8 million adults in the USA suffer from chronic anxiety. It is sad that only 43% of the people who are suffering receive help for their mental health. That is why, a company must focus on these avenues. Coaches and Therapists can be considered invaluable tools to create a healthier and happier workplace that motivates the employees. According to Senior People Operations Specialist Keah Nguyen, every company should offer sessions “where employees can talk 1:1 with a counselor, coach, or therapist on any topic.” This way you can help them get over their mental health issues and in return, your company will receive more loyalty and improved productivity.
- 4-day work weeks
Every week, the employees have to work for five to six days a week which leaves only one or two days for them to replenish themselves. However, after serving 48 hours or more at a workplace it leaves very little time or almost nothing for the employees to recharge themselves. That is why a 4-day workweek policy can be implemented which offers ample time for the employees to enjoy themselves and keep a work-life balance. After implementing this idea, many companies saw higher autonomy and work happiness while stress levels were low for the employees.
- Reduced or async meetings to respect people’s time
According to a recent report, employees spend more than 31 hours in unproductive meetings every month. If you do the math, it makes the employees have 20% less to complete their work. The virtual meetings and Zoom Calls can be quite draining at times and that is why, the new culture of remote working is creating a new physical issue that is known as Zoom fatigue. In order to get over this issue, Float organizes async standup meetings and flexible work schedules to let everyone work at their own pace and convenience.
- Keep dedicated quiet spaces for breaks
Most people when they are mentally struck with an emotion, want to stay alone whether they are angry, sad, or stressed. That is why, the companies must provide dedicated quiet spaces where employees can unwind or take rest in s quiet space, away from the stressors. The dedicated workroom is highly needed to let the employees de-stress and blow off some steam before engaging with work again. Such break rooms can be utilized for wellness activities such as meditation, yoga, or any health screening.
- Paid self-care and mental health days off
There are days when it gets too much for an employee and they want to stay home to get back in the groove. It is better to let them stay at home on those days because even if they come, they would not be productive with their work. In such cases, policies for supporting mental and physical health can be really handy which lets the employee self-care. These leaves can help to prevent workplace burnout. Like Keah said, “Remote sponsors 1 day per quarter for everyone to take a day off just for themselves — for self-care, to do things they love, do something just for them.” The time must be utilized to encourage them to use this time to nurture themselves, their creativity, and their well-being.
- Fertility journey to help those who are struggling
Mental health stressors do not just come from the workplace alone but the source could be hidden somewhere in the personal life. However, the effect of stress will be noticeable in the workplace too. More than 60% of people are struggling with infertility which greatly triggers their mental health. That is why, experts suggest that fertility support initiatives should be taken as well.
- Set paid time off
Almost every other person has other interests than work since not everyone is able to turn their passion into a profession. When work does not allow them to pursue their interests, it can greatly trigger their mental health. When a company helps “to spend on a work-related project they’re passionate about,” employees are more satisfied with their work and will be more productive for the support. This can also greatly increase employee retention rate as when you take this initiative for them, they are more likely to be loyal to the company and would not want to leave it for before 4 to 5 years.
- Co-working space allowance
Remote working is definitely beneficial but it can be highly isolating too. It can cause impaired executive function, depression, and other mental health issues. If you are team is working from home and spending most of the time at their home; encourage them to go out and meet people. Just like, it can help you build a stronger team with better communication, it also embraces human bonding in this digital age where almost everything gets done online. Let, employees meet other employees who are nearby. There are many companies that offer a generous amount of Co-working space allowance to find a sweet spot to work.
- Paid bereavement leave
When people go through a great loss such as the death of their parents and loved ones, getting to work is the last thing they have in mind. Offering paid leave for the employees to mourn is a great way to show that you support them and are sorry for the loss. For times like this, the company should provide a month-long leave just to get back into the groove at full throttle.
- Childcare and caregiver allowances
Childbirth and care-giving a stressful commitments and it can be disastrous if an employee has to do both. People who work can also have children or old parents at home whom they need to take care of. Offering them support for childcare and caregiving can greatly help to tackle the situation. This way, they can hire a nanny or nurses who can take care of their house while they are out for work.
Bottom Line
The best wellness initiative comes from listening only. So, you have to listen to your employees, understand the issues, and address them properly. So, make sure to create a humble and open-minded workplace that does not punish people for speaking.
