With the events of recent years, there is no denying that there needs to be a more significant emphasis on mental health in the workplace. There have been some drastic changes over recent years, and the way people are expected to work has been turned upon its head. As an employer, focusing on how your employees feel mentally is just as important as paying attention to their physical health. But what are the best ways to approach this so everyone feels comfortable with the lines of communication and the support on offer?
By Team Savant
Image: Verne Ho
Commit To Change
The first step is to use online resources and sign up for a reputable support service. Mental health charities like Time to Change and Mind help sufferers, families, and caregivers.
Practices like this prove you're laying the groundwork for a secure, stigma-free workplace where your employees know you value their health and wellness above all else.
You'll gain respect and trust from your employees if you commit to treating mental health issues like anxiety, stress, and depression seriously. It takes fortitude to bring up mental health issues at work and more bravery to ask for treatment.
Offer Flexibility
Things will change frequently. As an employer, you should check in regularly – especially at transitional points. You can only assist in problem-solving any issues that arise if you know what is taking place. Checking in with employees can be as simple as holding face-to-face conversations with them from time to time. You can select an appropriate place and time to hold conversations with all team members. These meetings need to be private because people are often reluctant to speak up during large team gatherings but are likely to confide in private settings. The information you gather from these interactions can help you implement various effective initiatives to support your workers. For instance, you can invest in WHS software systems to better understand how various events could affect your employees’ well-being and implement and launch effective initiatives that would offer them adequate support. Those interactions will also provide you with an opportunity to reinforce social norms and practices that are beneficial to mental wellness. Inclusive flexibility is about proactive communication and norm-setting that assists people in designing and preserving the boundaries they require to live their lives.
Effective Communication
Make your staff aware of the mental health options that are available to them and encourage them to utilize them. A total of nearly 46 percent of all employees in a recent study stated that their firm had not proactively shared this information with them. If you've already shared them, don't hesitate to do so again. In addition, be mindful that shame and stigma inhibit many employees from taking advantage of their mental health benefits and seeking therapy; thus, normalize the use of those benefits.
In truth, effective communication has a few major elements to it, and one of the most important is actually the listening involved. Whenever you are talking with your employees, make sure that you are always listening to them as closely as you possibly can, and in a way that means they know they are listened to. Active listening of this kind is one of the best things you can give them, and will help them to feel so much more supported.
Even though managers will be on the front lines of addressing mental health concerns, it is the responsibility of the most senior executives in your organization to take action.
Offer Practical Support
It might be the case that your employees cannot visit a healthcare professional to seek any distance for various reasons. Providing this to your employees can offer them an option to speak to experienced psychologists or mental health support workers within the workplace without infringing on their circumstances. Providing this support proves you aren't just paying lip service to this crisis, and you are dedicated to ensuring your employees are supported.
Be The Boss You Wish You Had
In everyone's life, there has always been a person who has influenced them or been a mentor and supporter when needed. Take the time to think about what this means to you and look at how you can be this person for those working in your company. What would have helped you in this position, or what do you wish your previous employers had done differently. Once you know the answers you can implement this into your company.