Right now 1 in 6 workers are dealing with a mental health problem such as anxiety,
depression or stress. However, mental health is slowly becoming destigmatized and finally seeking the recognition and support it deserves.
Today all employers have a legal duty of care to their employees; which means every business should be consciously taking steps to provide mental health support.
Not only will your support of mental wellbeing in the workplace benefit your employees as individuals, so they feel respected and motivated.Β But it should also reduce absences and increase overall productivity – According to research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety and depressive disorders cost more than a trillion dollars globally in lost productivity each year.
Mental Health can often be missed by employers – with 95% of employees who have taken time off due to stress named another reason, such as an upset stomach or headache. It’s important that you send a clear signal to staff that their mental health matters and here are 5 ways to do this:
Mental Wellness Workplace Policy
All employers who take mental health seriously should ensure employees are aware of the companies Mental Wellness Plan. This should be an accessible plan/document listing the available approaches an individual can adopt to support their mental wellbeing, who they can speak to and what support is available within the business.
Work-Life Balance
As an employer are you providing employees with good working conditions? Are they able to have a healthy work-life balance?
Mental Health First Aider
Are you able to train an exisiting employee to be a Mental Health First Aider. Courses can now be done online. Doing so enables your team to seek comfort and support from a specialised individual on a confidential basis.
Mental Health Day
By providing employees with planned, paid annual leave (on top of contracted annual leave) which encourages them to take some time to relax and unwind away from the stresses of work is a great way to remind employees of the importance of switching off.
Wellbeing Budget
Exercise, meditation and support are all great ways to help keep your mental wellbeing in check.Β Occasionally these things come at a cost. Offering employees a monthly well-being budget as an additional benefit can ensure that the extra cash goes towards something that will be beneficial to their mental health.
Effective People Management
Do you as an employer promote a personal approach to employees? Do you ensure there are regular human to human conversations where wellbeing can be discussed and supported?
There are many ways that you can achieve a mentally healthy workplace and this is a great place to start. As an employer you should be shifting from reactive to active when it comes to wellbeing.
Here at Cogs wellbeing is at the top of our agenda. With quarterly scheduled mental health days, a Mental health first aider, flexible working and people management we are striving to offer unrivaled support to our team.
Looking to join a flexible, diverse and inclusive team? Get in touch today!