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National Wellness Month is officially underway in August, and its arrival offers an opportunity to place a more concentrated emphasis on self-care, stress management and healthy routines, including practices that support mental health. Most individuals spend a majority of their time working, so workplaces can play an important role in helping prioritize mental health at a critical time for many employees.
According to the CDC’s guidance on mental health in the workplace, “the workplace is an optimal setting to create a culture of health.” The very nature of most workplaces is one with a built-in social structure. This allows employers to create programs and policies that focus on positive communication and reinforcing healthy behaviors. The CDC article describes how these efforts can be further supported by providing benefits, tools and access to counseling, hosting seminars and workshops, and creating quiet spaces for team members.
In the two-plus years since the start of the pandemic, awareness of mental health issues has understandably increased. Extended isolation and uncertainty intensified struggles for those who may have already been dealing with mental health concerns. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of adults reporting anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms jumped by 30% following the first year of the pandemic.
People sometimes conceal mental health issues for a variety of reasons. Some of the common reasons for discomfort were revealed in a study conducted by Paychex:
- The information is too personal.
- Nothing will come of it.
- Job security would be at risk.
- Promotions or advancement opportunities would be at risk.
- They are already disclosing issues with someone outside of work.
- Superiors are too busy.
- The fear of stigma or judgment makes it difficult to share.
As a business owner, caring about the well-being of your employees demonstrates your integrity, responsiveness and transparency. And most importantly, a focus on well-being benefits both the workforce and the business. As Gallup puts it: “When your employees' wellbeing is thriving, your organization directly benefits – they take fewer sick days, deliver higher performance, and have lower rates of burnout and turnover.” Research from a 2016 Public Health Summit shows that nearly 86% of employees treated for depression reported increased productivity and improved work performance.
Here are a few recommendations to help employers successfully instill a positive mental health culture for their team:
1. Take the time to connect
Harvard Business Review emphasizes that “a culture of connection is key.” Even making a habit of asking “How are you?” can go a long way, as it gives co-workers the opportunity to open up. More importantly, though, is to keep the conversation going by asking how you can help. Conversations like this should be further explored in one-on-ones and encouraged between team members as well.
Psycom has a list of mental health tips for the workplace, like Ban.do founder Jen Gotch's advice: “I do a thing called Office Hours, where any member of our team can schedule an hour with me to talk about, really whatever. Feelings, anything. And we have Slack conversations about finding a therapist; there’s just an open conversation that’s never stigmatizing.”
2. Provide manager training
The leadership development platform BetterUp describes how we need to move on from “old school” avoidance tactics, advising, "We can help by training managers to offer support to employees that may not be feeling their best. Teach them to listen without judgment and offer next steps to support them.”
Equipping office leaders with this knowledge and training can help them navigate sensitive conversations. Building trust takes time, but meaningful, authentic relationships are built when leaders can spot the need for a mental health day, an adjustment in project timeframes or work hours, or a referral to an employee assistance program (EAP). The ultimate goal is for employees to feel comfortable enough to ask for help.
3. Promote work/life balance
The Happiness Index, a platform dedicated to happiness and engagement in the workplace, outlines how maintaining a healthy work-life balance can enrich health and relationships, improve productivity and performance, and minimize burnout.
These positive impacts are yet another example of an everyone-benefits scenario. To build a healthy balance in your workplace, encourage employees to take time off, whether short breaks during the day or long breaks like holidays and PTO. Be understanding of everyone’s personal situation and attempt to accommodate their needs with flextime, hybrid work-from-home models, or alternative work schedules. Allowing employees to take an occasional day or afternoon off to care for their mental health goes a long way, too.
4. Encourage self-care activities
People often don’t practice acts of self-care because they don’t have time or don’t know where to start. The Calm mental fitness app observes, “It's becoming clear that weaving moments of self-care throughout your day is more beneficial than grinding through a hard day and leaving the “you” time for later.”
Encourage more self-care by offering guided meditation or yoga sessions, walking meetings, regular pauses in the workday, team outings, and anything else that encourages people to take the time to nurture their well-being. As you help your employees build their self-care habits, morale and camaraderie can be further improved by practicing gratitude and mindfulness in your words and actions.
5. Send proactive reminders
Finally, remember that employees may not always be aware of the mental health benefits available to them. And even if they are, many individuals often need encouragement to take that first step. So, send proactive reminders of the services you offer that can help support their mental wellness.
For example, share monthly self-care tips that highlight the benefits available to employees. Actively encouraging your team to get help normalizes what can sometimes feel like a taboo topic. Continue to look into new benefit opportunities and keep communicating that talking to someone is always alright.
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BBB Great West + Pacific contributed this article.