Make known some misconceptions about Workplace Mental Health Initiatives that you've listened to

We all have different preferences about the environment in which we’re working and it seems the more these preferences can be accommodated the better. For example, a study from Cornell University found that employees who were exposed to open office noise had increased epinephrine levels (also known as adrenaline – in other words, the trigger for the body’s fight-or-flight response). Employee wellbeing is about optimizing the health of all employees. It is not only about physical wellbeing, but other components of wellbeing that cannot be ignored when talking about healthy and well-functioning individuals or employees. Mental wellness at work is an essential part of overall well-being that is often overlooked. Any job can be stressful, even if you love what you do. Some stress can be healthy, such as motivation to perform well, but long-term and unmanaged stress can be harmful to both physical and mental health. Positive working relationships are built on communication and trust. Regular conversations with employees about their role, capabilities and how work gets done will enhance engagement and productivity. However, poor performance management practices such as a lack of regular feedback or using formal processes before understanding the issues impacting on performance can result in a breakdown in relationships, mental harm and potential workers’ compensation claims. Your employees will know you’re serious about mental health at work when you invest resources into their well-being. Yoga classes, company picnics, speaker sessions, holiday parties, an in-office gym and so on can all build a culture that is not only open to mental health in the workplace but takes concrete steps to promote it. Employers can use health risk assessments (HRAs) and/or biometric screenings to evaluate employee health and well-being. HRAs are voluntary assessments that rely on employee self-reporting of medical conditions and risk factors related to tobacco use, physical activity, diet and mental health. In turn, employers leverage de-identified and aggregated data from these assessments to implement health programs and measure improvement



When mental illness isn't addressed, it's got costs for both the person and their workplace. Work stress, including mental stress, increases absenteeism, reduces productivity, and drives up indemnities and healthcare costs. Fostering a culture of empathy is the first step in providing employees a healthy work environment. This starts with company leadership, ties directly to organizational values and requires ongoing attention to allow for adjustments in how the ship is steered. Leading with empathy involves attentive listening, relating and compassion. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for mental health. Income Protection, for example, provides a regular replacement income if an employee is unable to work due to illness for more than six months. It may also come with vocational rehabilitation services to support them if they are able to return to work. With one in five U.S. adults experiencing mental health disorders in a given year, it’s important for organizations to understand how mental health impacts employees and the steps that can be taken to create a work environment that is supportive of mental health. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for workplace wellbeing support today.
 

Promote Well-being

Remember that doing nothing is the biggest risk of all in regards to mental health. It’s important to remember that stress is different for everyone – what one employee finds stressful might be stimulating to another employee. It’s also important to remember that the way in which someone responds to stress can be a result of their personal situation. For employees who are having a difficult time in their personal life, even a small amount of workplace stress can be enough to tip them over the edge. Fortunately, there are many ways in which employers can support their workers' mental health. The first and most basic thing is good management. Having good supervision, clear goals, appraisal, and staff development are key things that some take for granted, but which can set the tone for supporting people at work. There is a strong correlation between the authenticity of an organisation’s support and commitment and the willingness of staff to speak up. This is governed by how supported individuals feel and how visible, active and credible their most senior leaders are on this front. Stigma reduction programs are considered to be systemic or organization-level programs that promote mental health awareness and seek to organizational stigma toward employees with mental health issues. Stigma programs appear to improve manager and employee knowledge and behavior, but the effect on attitudes is less positive. Don't forget to send out proper internal communications around workplace wellbeing ideas in your organisation.

All employees should be supported to reduce the potential to experience stress and organisational changes should be made when risks are identified that may lead to stress or other mental ill health. A person can experience excessive pressure and demands outside work just as much as they can at work. Stressors at home can affect those at work and vice versa. It is difficult to control outside stressors, but you need to take a holistic approach to employee well-being. To manage work-related stress effectively, you need to recognise the importance and interaction of work and home problems. Although your employer is under a duty to ensure your mental health at work and is therefore responsible for assessing the risks you face and for implementing measures to safeguard your wellbeing, there is a great deal of advice available about how you can give yourself the best chance of mental health and wellbeing. Work is a big part of most adults' lives – and therefore our workplaces are a key setting for understanding and addressing our mental health. If you have as many as five generations of people at the same time and in the same workplace, there are a lot of gaps to bridge. You have different generations bringing different perceptions, belief systems, permission, and language to the table of how they discuss mental health and mental illness (if they’re even willing to discuss it). This can have a huge impact on how this topic is viewed, treated, and debated – especially in the workplace. For employers not investing in wellbeing initiatives, employers duty of care mental health can be a difficult notion to comprehend.
 

Every Company Has A Culture

Recruitment should focus on hiring the most suitable candidate for the job. Therefore, appointment decisions should be objective and based on whether candidates have the necessary qualifications and competence required for the role. Employers and those involved in recruiting should take great care not to allow assumptions about health or disability (which may be subconscious) to cloud judgements about each candidate’s skills and abilities. Not giving enough feedback may be because an employee is afraid of speaking out. Studies have shown that regular physical exercise can assist lift your mood and reduce stress. This could be a regular routine, such as hitting the gym or going for a stroll during lunchtime or during a break. If all else fails, keep standing up at least once per hour, more if you work at a desk, to give your body and eyes a breather. Sufferers may be concerned about losing their job by being open about their mental health. Managers should never feel awkward about inquiring after anyone’s physical or mental health. A conversation could start as innocuously as “You appear stressed today. Is there anything I can do to help?” There needs to be mental health provisions that can support any individual and any organization of any size. Although awareness of mental health has increased, research highlights that this topic, which affects every one of us, is still not being discussed or supported enough in organizations. Discussing ideas such as how to manage an employee with anxiety is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.

Although you may feel that you offer generous pay and benefits — or that there is little you can do to change them — your employees may be suffering from financial stress that is ultimately affecting their health and performance at work. Offering employees financial advice and resources not only supports engagement, it shows that you care about their wellbeing. There are a number of approaches your organisation can take to help transform your workplace and create a mentally-healthy environment. Programs, both inside and outside the workplace promise that you can have a “positive mindset in 90 days” and “#win at work”. These programs are definitely popular – perhaps due to genuine interest, or with those seeking to avoid their uncomfortable emotions, or attended because someone told them to check it out (being volun-told). What affects employees outside the workplace can affect them in it, too; it’s inevitable. The truth is, we’re facing a mental health crisis. Simply Business recently surveyed almost 800 small business owners in the UK and found that 82% reported poor mental health in the last 12 months. In fact, more than half of all business owners suffered from anxiety, 62% have been affected by stress, and 30% experienced depression. It’s clear that prioritising mental health should be at the forefront of recovery after the pandemic. Thinking about concepts such as managing employees with mental health issues is really helpful in a workplace environment.
 

Reduction In Absences

In the workforce, people are often judged by their productivity, and anything that interferes with that — like needing to take time off for their mental health, for instance — can be viewed as a nuisance. This is why many workers have a hard time asking for mental health accommodations, or even mentioning that they live with one or more mental health conditions. The world of work is changing, with employee engagement, flexible working, resilience and talent management now common currency. Positively managing mental health underpins these approaches and can reap rewards in terms of staff morale, productivity and loyalty. There are many internal milestones that can help to put mental health on the agenda like board meetings, staff surveys, staff absence reports. Think about the times in the year when your business is busiest and staff are under the most stress, so you can raise the issue ahead of time. Unearth more details regarding Workplace Mental Health Initiatives on this Health and Safety Executive article.
 

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