How to Support Your Employees’ Mental Health?

Every employer should strive to create a workplace environment that supports the mental well-being of their employees. The good news is that business owners worldwide are becoming increasingly aware of the mental health struggles their employees might face. In more instances than ever before, they also try to make an effort to support those who struggle.

Poor mental health can affect people’s productivity, make establishing new connections more difficult, and even influence how they approach work opportunities and challenges. That’s why the bosses and managers need to learn how to address these issues. If you’re unsure where to start, providing mental health resources like EAPs and coaching can be a good beginning. Then, you will be able to take steps such as using communication to reduce the stigma around mental health problems, build a culture of connection, or try to offer flexibility and stay as inclusive as possible.

It might sound overwhelming at first, but don’t worry. Read the article below and learn more about the ideas that can help you support your employees and their mental well-being.

Create a Policy to Reduce Stigma

Your business policies can play a huge role in supporting your employees’ mental health. For example, if you want to make sure everyone understands how important it is to treat others with respect and dignity, start by writing down a policy that clearly states that the only thing that matters the most in your company is respect, not anyone’s personal beliefs or differences. You could also implement a policy that allows employees to adjust their work schedule according to their needs, especially if they have any mental health-related issues.

You’ll also need to build awareness about mental health struggles or situations in a workplace that are considered abuse. For instance, it’s never enough to just say that revenge porn is unacceptable. While it’s a true statement, words won’t cut it. In such a case, you have to encourage open conversations, offer appropriate workplace adjustments, get educated on revenge porn law, and provide adequate training for managers and leaders.

Provide Resources to Your Employees

Employee assistance programs, EAPs for short, are benefits programs that aim to help employees resolve issues that could impact their professional and personal lives. The idea behind these programs is to address personal issues before they interfere with work performance. EAPs are, in general, considered to be very helpful – companies that offer them experience fewer absences and workplace distress among the staff. However, in many workplaces, they are still significantly underutilized.

As an employer, you might also want to consider the services of mental health coaches who work with their clients to set and achieve goals. They work to provide support and guidance and help people manage their stress levels as well as anxiety and many other conditions that might be damaging to their mental health. They may also offer educational information and advice on how to improve mental wellbeing.

Communicate with Your Employees and Listen to Them

Communication is another very important factor to consider when it comes to supporting your employees’ mental health. Some people don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health problems in the workplace, so you should encourage them to communicate with each other and listen to each other’s concerns and ideas. If despite speaking words of encouragement, you still notice that the employees keep to themselves, you can run anonymous surveys focused on questions about the workplace environment, employee satisfaction and provide an opportunity to write about their concerns and issues.

You can try to start intentionally checking in with each of your employees regularly so you can always stay on top of what’s happening within the organization. Noticing that someone is struggling can be a challenge, especially now, when due to Covid-19 many people are working from home. People who are actually approached and directly asked how they’re doing and whether everything is okay are more likely to respond than those who are only encouraged to speak up.

Offer Autonomy

Increased autonomy at work could be an easy solution to the common lack of engagement that people feel from their work. Offering employees more autonomy is also a  great way to support their mental health. If you trust your employees at work and see them as the competent people they are, you will know that they are capable of making decisions on their own and completing tasks without you telling them at all times what to do. This will allow them to feel both valued and appreciated.

Autonomy at work means giving employees the freedom to work in the way they prefer the most. This can mean letting them decide on the pace of their work, the order in which they handle and complete their tasks. Employees should also know that they have more control over job tasks, or even be presented with the opportunity to decide when and where they do their work. Therefore, flexible schedules and the possibility of remote working should be a staple for every workplace that cares about its employees’ mental wellbeing.

Be Inclusive

Sometimes people who struggle with mental health issues can experience feelings of isolation, even in a workplace that supports their mental health. That’s why you should do everything you can to make sure everyone feels welcome, respected, and included, including those going through mental health issues or supporting someone else who is struggling.

An inclusive workplace is one where all people, no matter their differences or disabilities, can feel welcomed and valued for their contributions. It’s a place where people with both visible and invisible disabilities and struggles have the same opportunities for advancement as everyone else. The conditions or issues that they’re dealing with should never be viewed as something that makes them less worthy of a promotion or could stop them from taking on a more challenging role or task.

How get your employees mental health analyzed?

Mental health issues can also be triggered by hormone imbalances and vitamin deficiencies. Find blood work near you and encourage your employees to get their blood analyzed regularly to improve their physical and mental health.

In Conclusion

As you can see, supporting your employees’ mental health is an ongoing process that involves offering resources and creating a culture of acceptance and support. It’s never enough to just think that it would be great to see your employees feel like they have someone watching over their mental health. The key is to remember that every employee is different and might have different needs.

Starting with the resources you offer and ending with the policies you make, you will be able to adapt everything you do to the unique needs of your employees. You should also try to get involved as much as possible to make sure you understand what’s going on with your employees and help them to reach their goals.