Citizens of the United Kingdom are facing a silent epidemic with grave consequences. A recent survey showed that 63% of Britons know someone with a mental health issue. More than one-quarter of survey respondents acknowledged having mental health issues themselves.
There are many different factors contributing to the mental health crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic, rapid inflation, and global turmoil are all adding pressure. Some mental health experts are tracing the nationwide decline specifically to a pre-2020 period as a result.
Read on to learn more about mental health at work. Explore how you can have a positive impact on mental health in the workplace.
Mental Health Explained
Before diving into solutions for your employees, understanding mental health is critical. Mental health is a person’s wellness from a psychological, emotional, and social perspective.
While mental health is under the surface, it often manifests itself with outward symptoms. Those with declining mental health see their behaviour and actions affected in unintended ways.
Mental health is influenced by different variables. Issues are often traced to genetic factors or brain chemistry. Traumatic events or unfavourable life experiences are also contributing factors.
Employee Mental Health
As an employer, you have to take your employees’ mental health into consideration. Employees struggling with mental health are less productive.
They tend to call out sick more often and are not as motivated as other employees. In the worst cases, these employees drop out of the workforce altogether. This places a burden on your company as you need to hire and train a replacement.
Mental Health Triggers
There are a number of factors that trigger employees’ mental health. The Covid-19 pandemic is the most recent trigger.
Due to the pandemic, many companies pivoted to a remote work environment. This left millions of employees isolated without the water cooler socialization that they were accustomed to.
Excessive work hours, deadlines, and general pressure also trigger mental health issues. The aforementioned triggers cause work-related stress that can lead to more serious mental health issues like anxiety.
Employer Solutions
Employee wellness initiatives are one of the most popular ways that employers address mental health. In this philosophy, employers recognize that their workers must have a healthy work-life balance.
As a result, employers provide resources to maintain a worker’s wellness. These initiatives manifest themselves in various ways.
Some employers offer discounts for their workers to go to the gym. Exercise is known to relieve stress and release endorphins that make people feel good.
Other employers set up yoga sessions for their employees or provide access to mental health professionals for free. The goal is to keep employees in good spirits and at peak productivity.
Team-building events are also popular. They allow employees to unwind and foster relationships with their coworkers outside of a meeting room.
Flexible work schedules are another potential solution for employers. They reduce the emphasis on fixed schedules and clocking in or out. The added flexibility allows employees to focus entirely on products vs. arbitrary administrative rules.
Mental Health at Work
Clearly, mental health is critical to your company’s success. Healthy employees are more productive and reliable.
Employee wellness initiatives and flexible work schedules are improving mental health outcomes. If you enjoyed this article about mental health at work, check out our blog for more great content.
