1 out of 4 working adults feel high levels of stress. The main source of stress is work, followed by financial concerns, family, and not having enough time. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), work stress is caused by things such as job dissatisfaction, heavy workload, and conflicts between team members. With the current global pandemic, feelings of stress can be intensified and be at an all-time high.
As an average individual spends 35-40 hours per week at work, employers should and can play a key role in improving mental health in their workplaces.
If you choose to do nothing
Mental health can have a significant impact on your business. Stress-related healthcare and missed work days cost employers $300 billion a year. Poor mental health doesn’t just affect your employees’ themselves, but their work as well. This can lead to physical health problems, further adding to work stress and decreased performance.
Do something about your employees’ mental health
Even when they are working remotely, employers still have the responsibility to support their team members. Not only by providing them the equipment needed to perform their tasks, but also supporting their work-life balance and mental health needs.
1) Be open
It can be hard for someone to speak up about mental health in the workplace, so it is important to create a safe and supportive environment. Be open, destigmatize mental health, and stop treating it as a topic that shouldn’t be talked about. Open discussions and involve all levels of employees, to ensure everyone is on the same page.
You can set up quick one-on-one Zoom meetings with your employees, and ask if they are okay and what they are feeling during these times. Even if mental health is destigmatized, it can still be a personal and sensitive topic for the individual, so be ready to listen and let them know that it will be kept confidential and anonymous.
2) Review your benefits package
Provide your employees with benefits that don’t just take care of their physical health, but their mental health as well. This can include counselling, massages, acupuncture, etc. Ask your team what benefits they would like, and get feedback!
3) Encourage your team to take self-care days
With COVID, it can be especially hard for employees to take time-off. Their normal vacation activities may be ill-advised, and they may be tempted to save the vacation time for later. However, no one can work non-stop and still bring their A-game to the table, especially during a global pandemic. Taking time-off can help improve employees' focus (78%) and alleviate burnout (81%). Everyone needs a break, and it may be high-time your employees took a much-needed stay-cation.
4) Support workplace volunteering
There are many studies that prove that volunteering benefits an individual’s mental health and overall wellbeing. If you wish to support your employees’ mental health while improving your company’s presence in the community, you can consider implementing a volunteering program (also known as employer-supported volunteering). Employees who volunteer are happier, healthier, and more engaged.
Taking care of your employees’ mental health shouldn’t end at the office. Even when they are working remotely, consider these workplace strategies to create a positive work environment for your employees.
