How Important is Employee Mental Health? And What You Can Do to Help.

Today, every employer knows how important employee mental health is.  Poor mental health, including stress, anxiety and burnout, impacts the quality of daily life for millions of Americans and their ability to enjoy productive work lives.  According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, “burnout and stress are at an all time high across professions” and 79% of  adult American workers surveyed reported experiencing recent work-related stress.  

Poor mental health can be a detriment to an employee’s work-life in a number of ways, including: 

• Reduced engagement in tasks and slower task completion 
• Making poor decisions 
• Reduced physical capability to complete tasks 
• Lack of communication 
• Inability to concentrate on tasks 
• Being fearful of feedback or performance reviews

However, although the negative consequences of stress, anxiety and burnout have been greatly publicized, many companies are still struggling to support their workforce. So, how can you support your employees with their mental health as an employer? 

As an employer, one of the best things that you can do is provide valuable resources for your employees. Often, work-related mental health stress or anxiety comes down to a lack of support and guidance. By offering the right resources, you can ensure that your staff has access to everything they need if they’re struggling with their mental health and can proactively help to keep burnout at bay. 

These resources can come in a range of different forms, including: 

• Regular communication with team members to understand their needs, including how you can support them with deliverables, goals and barriers
• Extra support or assistance in tasks, as required 
• Leadership modeling that demonstrates the importance of caring for mental health. This simple action sends a clear message that wellbeing is a corporate priority.
• Clearly communicated company policies on disconnecting after work hours
• ‘Stress-free’ or ‘chill out’ zones in the office that are dedicated to winding down 
• Self-assessment questionnaires that employees can use to assess their own mental health 
• Providing a high-quality, extensive employee wellness program that focuses on holistic health (mental health as well as physical health) 
• An employee assistance program with access to professional help that your employees can confidentially connect with if they need extra support 
• Free mental health clinical screenings with a healthcare professional 

Creating an accepting and open environment will encourage your employees to communicate their needs and to utilize resources when they are needed.  Investing in your team now will make it easier for you as an employer to ensure your team is happy and satisfied in the workplace today and in the future.

Ready to invest in a holistic wellbeing solution to see happier and more productive employees?  Book your discovery call today to see how Sprout At Work can move the wellness needle in your organization.