Although mental health is becoming less taboo of a topic, it still holds a lot of weight in the workplace and can seriously damage morale and productivity. However, few businesses prioritize mental health. For those trying to develop a more accommodating environment for their employees, this article will explain five simple ways you can support your employees and improve their mental health.
Cultivate A Positive Work Culture
The only way you’ll be able to convince your employees that you support their mental health is if you cultivate a healthy work environment. There is still a heavy stigma surrounding mental health, so do your best to squash it. It would help if you had continuous conversations to try and make it a more casual and common topic within the office. Employees need to know that their CEO and executives believe in these programs and place great importance upon improving mental health.
Use Current Research
Psychology has drastically changed within the past ten years. The worst thing you can do for your employees is to use outdated resources and advice. It just shows them how unimportant mental health is to you since you couldn’t even bother to research it. Remember to stay up-to-date with your resources so you can give usable advice.
Eliminate Barriers to Resources
You should try and make it as easy as possible for your employees to access these mental health resources. Don’t make them sift through layers of bureaucracy and channels to get help–they shouldn’t have to ask at all! Utilize various methods to reach your employees, such as videos, newsletters, tutorials, and social media posts. By using different formats, you can continuously remind your staff of these programs and encourage participation.
Be Flexible
As you’re trying to improve your work culture and create a positive environment, you should also learn to be more flexible. Due to the pandemic, the typical day in the office has completely shifted as people needed to balance work with their schedules at home. They don’t just sit at their desk for eight hours straight anymore. If you’ve already begun to transition back into the workplace, maintain flexibility and allow them freedom with the scheduling. You’ll find that people will become happier and more productive when they get to work around their lives and routines.
Change How You Value Success
Everyone works differently, which means you can’t measure success with a one-size-fits-all model. Don’t judge your employees based on how much profit they bring you. They need to know that you see them as people, not numbers, and find value in the quality of their work. It would also help if you considered changing how you give feedback. Utilize reviews as an opportunity to check in with each other and gauge happiness levels, as it opens up channels of communication and creates a thriving work culture.
Nearly everyone struggles with their mental health, especially during a global crisis like Covid-19. It is your job as the employer to understand and mitigate potential workplace stress as best you can. The success of your business is inherently linked to your staff’s state of mind. Improving your employees’ mental health will benefit you all, as feeling comfortable can increase productivity and creativity.