Mental health is health. The latest data shows that, when it comes to mental health in the workplace, most of us are struggling. According to one report, 78% of your workforce report having problems with workplace stress and their mental health. Four in five employees say that this stress affects their relationships with coworkers and the people they care about at home. Yet only 34% say that their company leadership talks about or supports mental health in the workplace.
The mental health of your workforce affects your business productivity. How can employers support their workforce with mental health initiatives that take better care of our valuable teams? We have eight suggestions that will help.
8 Ways to Support Employee Mental Health
1. Set your baseline with an employee satisfaction survey.
How is your workplace doing? If you don’t know how people are feeling about their jobs, start with a confidential employee survey. It can serve as the baseline for any improvements you initiate.
2. Establish initiatives based on the survey.
For example, if your employees say, “I don’t know what’s expected in my job,” that is incredibly repairable. Establish a goals-setting process that engages employees at all levels of the organization.
3. Retrain your managers.
This initiative is particularly important if you have a lot of managers that rose into their roles through attrition. Why is this important? Workers still cite poor relationships with their managers as the key reason they leave their jobs.
4. Set up systems to monitor managers and employees in their growth.
Job metrics aside, it’s important to measure the growth and training of your workforce. Work with these teams to set career goals, then give them the training they need to get there.
5. Retrain your HR team.
Your staff should be monitoring employees for increases in frequent absences or declining performance. They should also watch for employees who fail to use all of their vacation time. Encourage your workforce to take the time off they need to support their physical and mental health.
6. Respect the boundaries between work and home.
Talk with your supervisors to ensure they aren’t bothering employees after they’ve gone home for the day. Sometimes cultures can mire down in an “always-on” mentality, but that isn’t good for the mental health of your workers.
7. Encourage breaks throughout the day.
An employee’s focus is sharper if they’ve taken a short break. Encourage your remote teams to block out calendar time for a walk or going to the gym. This helps with stress and improves health.
8. Offer private health insurance with mental health benefits.
We know health insurance is a huge expense for employers. However, this ultimately is an investment in your workforce. If you can, also consider an employee assistance program (EAP) that extends benefits for better mental and physical health.
Contact Lingo Staffing Today
Sometimes the best way to take care of your workforce is to give them the extra help they need. That’s where Lingo Staffing can help. We provide staff to help improve your business. Contact us today.
