Paving
the Way to Better Mental Health for Employees
By Sarah
Thorstad, President and Chief Operating Officer, Learn
to Live
In today's high-stress work environment, supporting employee mental health is imperative for any organization, whether their workforce is in the office, working remotely, or a combination of both. Providing support for employee well-being can be an important factor for retaining talent, boosting productivity, and maintaining a positive work culture. However, many employees who need mental health services may not access care due to barriers including:
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Stigma. There is still a stigma surrounding mental health issues and seeking treatment. Employees may be reluctant to use benefits out of fear of judgement from colleagues and family members.
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Lack of awareness. Employees simply may not know what options are available to them as benefits packages can be complex.
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Confusing process. Navigating mental health services and insurance coverage can be complex and deter employees from using them.
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Lack of trust. Employees may not trust that using mental health benefits will be confidential and worry it could impact their career.
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Time constraints. Employees often cite having limited time to seek treatment due to busy schedules and personal commitments.
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Cost concerns. Some plans require high copays or only provide partial coverage for treatment, making care cost prohibitive.
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Unfamiliarity with mental health care. Many people may not know exactly what they’re struggling with or what help they might benefit from.
Employers can eliminate barriers to mental health care and improve workforce well-being by removing obstacles and ensuring employees can readily utilize available mental health benefits. With some intentional effort, organizations can create a culture where employees feel comfortable accessing mental health care, leading to a healthier, more empowered workforce.
Making Mental Health a Leadership Priority
To truly transform company culture around mental health, leaders must set the tone from the top. Executives and managers that prioritize mental health send a clear signal about its role in overall employee well-being and business success. Leadership can demonstrate commitment through transparency about their own mental health journeys, implement supportive policies like flextime and extended leave, destigmatize issues through open dialogue, and invest meaningful resources into training and access to care. Leaders should embrace mental health as a key component of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company.
Leading by example is the most effective way to reduce stigma. Organizations create an environment where all employees feel secure in seeking help without judgment by making mental health support an authentic leadership priority. They must have empathy for those struggling and normalize discussions about mental health. Ultimately, leaders must create this caring culture.
The Argument for Improving Mental Health
Mental health is crucial for employee well-being and engagement at work regardless of where they physically are located. Working in an office can be stressful from factors like office politics, distractions, and interruptions and remote workers may feel isolated or disconnected.
Employees with good mental health are more productive, creative, collaborative, and loyal to their company. Poor mental health, on the other hand, negatively impacts employees and employers alike. Those struggling with conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and social anxiety may find it hard to concentrate at work and they often have higher absenteeism and presenteeism rates, lower motivation, and reduced productivity. Poor mental health can also increase employee turnover as people struggling emotionally or experiencing burnout may quit their jobs. Untreated mental health issues can also contribute to the development of medical problems. Mental health care access and availability should be a priority for any business that wants to empower its people, retain top talent, safeguard its reputation, and avoid unnecessary costs.
So how can employers alleviate barriers to mental health care and support the well-being of their workforce?
Create Awareness
Organizations must prioritize education and promotion to ensure awareness and utilization of mental health benefits. They can provide clear descriptions of available services in employee handbooks, post benefit information on office bulletin boards, email periodic reminders explaining how to access care, offer incentives, and host events and webinars to help employees understand the value of each offering. Promoting employee assistance programs, counseling, self-paced digital programs, and other services can further boost visibility. Normalizing the use of mental health benefits through leadership messaging and stories of positive experiences can help diminish stigma over time. With multifaceted, ongoing education and communication, employers can maximize awareness and use of mental health benefits among employees.
Support Personal Preferences
A robust mental health care program offers employees an assortment of support services to match their unique needs. From digital tools like self-guided therapy apps, to in-person counseling via video chat or on-site providers, to alternative therapies like meditation and yoga, a varied menu of options empowers staff to find the right fit. Promoting an integrated health plan that seamlessly connects mental and physical care smooths the path to holistic well-being. Variety and flexibility remove barriers and inspire engagement with mental health resources. Most importantly, accessible, tailored offerings demonstrate a genuine commitment to each employee's overall health and ability to thrive.
Get Creative!
It is vital to provide evidence based digital and in person mental health resources, but there is also room to build creativity into your strategies. Promoting employee mental health and well-being has become a key priority for many organizations. Rising stress, anxiety, and burnout in the workplace necessitates creative initiatives to support employees' mental and emotional needs. From mindfulness practices to peer support groups, organizations are utilizing innovative strategies to boost moods, inspire optimism, and cultivate resilience among their workforces. Introducing thoughtful activities – either virtually or in person – that allow employees to decompress, express creativity, foster connections, and enhance mindfulness, can cultivate an environment where staff feel energized, valued, and mentally strong. Here are some ways for employees to dip their toes into mental well-being:
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Mindfulness at work. Teach mindfulness strategies, breathing exercises, or yoga to help employees manage stress and anxiety. This could include bringing in an instructor or providing resources to guide employees.
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Gratitude and positivity exercises. Encourage employees to share positive experiences or things they're grateful for to foster optimism and perspective.
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Nature walks and outdoor breaks. Encourage employees to take brief walks outdoors to get fresh air, a change of scenery, and a mental boost.
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Comfortable break areas. Designate spaces for employees to decompress and relax during breaks, with calming music, refreshments, and snacks.
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Creative competitions. Have employees take part in fun creative challenges like photo or writing contests to take their minds off stress.
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Humor therapy. Encourage laughter and levity in the workplace through games and funny videos to relieve tension.
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Peer support groups. Facilitate discussions for employees to share advice and support for improving mental health.
Forward thinking organizations gain a competitive advantage through a resilient and thriving workforce. Smart investments in workforce mental health create great value for employers in both human and business impact. Mentally healthy employees are more engaged, productive, and creative. By cultivating a culture that prioritizes mental health, companies empower employees to thrive and position themselves for success. The returns from effective workforce mental health initiatives are multifaceted, generating positive ripple effects across the whole organization.
