From demanding deadlines to shifting priorities, we all know that there is a lot of stress in the workplace. With the majority of professionals spending a third of their lives at work, letting it go unchecked can have a significant impact on your employees’ mental health and well-being. Add external stressors like home responsibilities, anxiety and a lack of sleep, and you have the perfect recipe for high employee burnout and absenteeism.
These high levels of stress can lead to or exacerbate larger issues like chronic disease and mental illness. So the question for leaders is, what are we doing about it?
According to the research, not enough. While talking about mental health is becoming less taboo across the country, organizations still seem to be falling behind on this trend. My firm's 2019 Hiring Outlook found that only 20% of professionals feel they are offered excellent wellness initiatives by their employers.
Wellness needs to take a front seat in company culture, and this should start by supporting your employees’ mental health. While culture can refer to a variety of factors, what it often comes down to is feeling valued by your employer. This doesn’t only mean through compensation and company perks; employees must feel that their employer cares about their overall well-being. When employees know they have this support, they are more likely to find meaning and purpose in their work, which increases engagement and productivity.
By putting employee mental health first, you are creating an environment that allows your staff to perform at their best. Here are four ways you can incorporate mental wellness into your culture:
1. Join The Conversation
To destigmatize mental health in the workplace, you have to make it part of the conversation. With culture set at the top, however, leadership buy-in is key. To create a welcoming and safe space, they need to open the dialogue and make it clear to staff that they will be supported if they choose to disclose a mental illness or when they need to seek help. Leadership can take the initiative in several ways. They can work with HR to create a companywide memo or seminar on mental health in the workplace, offer managers training on mental well-being, and establish an open-door policy.
2. Offer Benefits That Support Mental Health
Formally incorporating mental health treatment as part of your benefits plan is one of the best ways to show your staff that you support their well-being. For example, you can expand mental health coverage in your insurance plan to help employees proactively manage their conditions. An employee assistance program is also another way to connect staff with the resources they need to manage and cope with personal and/or work-related issues.
3. Encourage Work-Life Balance
While today’s technology makes it difficult to completely disconnect, having a work-life balance is a critical aspect of self-care. Focus on creating a work environment where staff does not feel the pressure to “always be on” by limiting your number of after-hours emails and being transparent about your paid time off policies. All employees should feel encouraged to take time off and work fewer hours if they need to.
Another great way to reduce work stress and build a supportive environment is to offer team-building events during lunch or late afternoon. This gives staff a little break, allowing them to unwind with their colleagues.
4. Offer Flexibility And Make Accommodations
Being flexible is critical when incorporating mental wellness into your culture. With only so many hours in a day, it’s common for professionals to feel spread too thin when it comes to their work and personal lives. Since this can lead to high levels of burnout and stress, offering flexible scheduling is a great way to help them manage these demands — allowing them to be more present and focused when they are at work. Keep in mind that flexibility means different things to different employees. While some people may need a compressed workweek, others may need to work from home. As a manager, you should be open to making accommodations for these differing needs.
Considering that mental health issues affect one in five Americans, chances are, your workplace is impacted. Creating a culture that is open and understanding of mental health needs is now more critical than ever.
