Today marks World Mental Health Day 2023, a time to reflect on how face-paced and ever connected lives cope with the stresses and strains of the modern world. It’s also the perfect opportunity to check in with your employees and colleagues, and ask them how they are feeling. Sometimes all people need is a friendly reminder they are not alone.
Nearly 1 in 7 people have reported to experience mental health issues whilst at work – so talking about mental health to colleagues is to be taken seriously, especially as the majority of your employee’s day is spent at the workplace. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable at work, and offering a variety of options for mental health will make sure that each individual person can feel supported in a way that is perfect for their situation.
Support your Staff
Reports suggest that 12.7% of absence days in UK workplaces can be attributed to some form of mental health condition. Employers who offer an EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) or wellness support will provide their employees the comforting knowledge that their job has their health as a top priority. Employees are also given the tools needed to improve their mental health and get the vital assistance they need, when they need it, without having to deal with the long wait-lists often seen with government funded support.
Give burnout the boot
But thinking about employees’ mental health does not have to begin at the point of crisis. 88% of UK employees have experienced burnout in the last 2 years, which brings lower productivity, staff retention and overall job satisfaction. Offering long service awards, peer to peer fanmail or monetary rewards help to create a stronger bond within the workplace, whilst encouraging hard work, and rewarding those who go the extra mile. Employees will feel more motivated and cared for within their company, and rewarding employees will offer a renewed sense of happiness within the workplace environment.
But World Mental Health Day is not just about one day a year. Curating a workplace that puts the mental health of its employees at the forefront not only will improve the lives of your current workforce, but it will make your organisation more appealing to possible candidates and collaborators.
Speaking about mental health is no longer the taboo subject it was in the past, so arm your employees with the tools and knowledge they need to understand their minds, and the minds of their colleagues to make everyone feel safe at work.