Healthy and stable mental wellbeing enables us as individuals to thrive. There is growing awareness and acknowledgement from business leaders around the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace. However, we have a long way to go and especially due to COVID-19 pandemic, where lockdown has filled people experiencing anxiety and depression. ''Not caring about the mental wellbeing is not an option anymore'' - says Sarbani Bose, the Managing Director of Ei Square.
Besides that, promoting mental health awareness is beneficial to the business. The World Health Organisation defines mental health as ''a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to contribute to her or his community''. There were multiple research studies done throughout the years and they provide strong evidence that organisations with high mental health awareness are more successful. According to research by the University of Warwick, addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by up to 12%.
However, addressing the mental health topic in the workplace can be a challenge for employers. It is not always clear what can be done about it and how it should be addressed and approached. Thus, in this blog, we will introduce some ways how you can promote mental wellbeing at work.
Talk about mental health
As a business, you need to make sure that your employees have the opportunity to address their concerns associated with mental health. Start with an open dialogue and build trusting relationships with your employees – make it clear, that it is okay to talk about mental health issues. Here at Ei Square, we carry out an open-door policy – not just mental health, but about anything that may concern the employees.
Another way to open the conversation about mental wellbeing is to hold weekly or monthly sessions. These are helpful not only in discussing the mental wellness topic and raising awareness but also is a good platform for the employees to share their own experiences, give advises and tips on how they cope with stress and anxiety at work. Moreover, it is a good way for you as an employer to find out what concerns your staff has and how you can improve the situation. Remember – happy employees, better business performance.
Healthy work-life balance
Following on from the previous point, promote and offer a healthy work-life balance. It is a known fact that the majority of people struggle with their work life balance. If employees feel more stressed, anxious and unhappy in the workplace and that is not recognised and treated, it is a step closer to being depressed. Therefore, as an employer, recognising the work distribution and making sure that your employees leave work at work will go towards caring for your employee's mental wellbeing.
Also, do not make your employees overwork without rewarding their overtime – studies show that working too much result not only in mental health issues but affect the physical state of an individual too. Instead, promote good health and nutrition – encourage employees to eat healthily, exercise, provide incentives to support sustainability at your business e.g., cycling to work. A stable and healthy physical state impacts mental wellness too. Thus, if your employees are happy, eating good and healthy food and have support in the workplace – they will feel more energetic, happy and productive at work.
To conclude, mental health topic is an important part of every business. Poor mental wellbeing in the workplace can have negative impacts on businesses through reduced productivity and work performance. Therefore, employers must prioritise mental wellness in the workplace, especially during challenging times - whether it is in the personal, working, or social lives of their employees. Be open to having conversations about mental health, provide a safe environment or platform for your employees, where they can address the issues and concerns and try to promote work-life balance. If you show them support and let them know that they are not just a resource in an organisation but treated as people, the whole dynamics of an organisation changes and it creates a happy environment which leads to increased productivity.
About the author: Aleksandra Pavlovic is a Digital Marketing Consultant at ei² niche consulting for #data #insights #performance www.eisquare.co.uk