The Importance Of Mental Health In The Workplace
It’s no secret — workplaces are stressful environments. From demanding deadlines to difficult co-workers, combined with the personal challenges employees face, many factors can take a toll on a person’s mental health.
Despite the importance of mental health, many employers fail to prioritize workers’ needs and provide necessary support, which can lead to a host of problems, from decreased productivity to absenteeism. In severe cases, it can even lead to depression and anxiety.
However, all businesses aren’t created equal. Prioritizing mental health doesn’t have to involve a lot of bureaucracy and red tape to change company policies. It starts with the workplace culture and making specific changes that impact workers’ lives.
Establishing A Work-Life Balance
The first step in prioritizing mental health at your business is to make clear to your employees that you care about them. Here’s how:
- Create a supportive work environment. Promote open communication and positive social interactions.
- Provide access to counseling and therapy services.
- Promote inclusivity. People come in all shapes, sizes, colors, genders and ethnic backgrounds.
- Promote a culture of open communication, where employees feel comfortable speaking up about their mental health needs.
- Provide training on how to identify and support employees who may be struggling with their mental health.
While some businesses may expect employees to “leave their troubles at the door” when they come to work, especially in a post-COVID world, that simply isn’t possible. What is possible — and what will result in higher productivity and higher quality of work — is listening to your employees and showing appreciation for them.
How to Prioritize Mental Health In The Workplace
We often overlook mental health in the workplace, but it’s just as important as a person’s physical health. When we’re feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, it can be hard to focus on our work and be productive. That’s why it’s so important to create a workplace that is supportive of mental health.
Need some extra help in this department for your organization? Sayge gives you personalized, premier coaching at scale with a people-first, tech-enabled platform, so your business and your people grow together. Define company goals and objectives at the outset, and use Sayge’s proprietary reporting to see the ongoing impact of coaching engagement.
