Michael Timmes is an HR consultant with Insperity. He specializes in team building, employee engagement and performance improvement.
Last month was National Mental Health Awareness Month, but these days, discussions of mental health and well-being have been front and center in the workplace year-round. In fact, the American Psychological Association (APA) reports that 92% of people want to work for a company that provides mental health support, underlining the importance of mental health and well-being in the workplace to recruitment and retention.
Mental Health Versus Mental Well-Being
Employers may not know there is a difference between mental health and well-being. Mental health refers to the current state of our mental functioning, including our emotional, social and psychological states. Addressing mental health often means seeking support from medical professionals for a diagnosed psychological condition. This is important to know in the workplace since over one in five U.S. adults live with mental illness.
Mental wellness, or well-being, on the other hand, refers to an overall positive state of mind and is discussed in terms of prevention. Tied closely to self-care, mental wellness is defined by the Global Wellness Institute as an “internal resource that helps us think, feel, connect and function.” More than just the absence of mental illness, mental wellness allows us to be emotionally resilient when faced with challenges, be aware of our strengths and weaknesses, develop healthy relationships and produce results in the workplace.
Fundamentally, mental health and well-being are interrelated, and a healthy workforce fuels successful organizations. Successful leaders take care of their people; the following outlines a few ways employers can better support employees for a more mentally healthy workforce.
Communicate
Even though conversations about mental health and well-being are becoming more common, they still carry stigma for some. Long days at work can take their toll, but many do not want to talk about stress and its impact on their mental health, concerned they may be seen as weak. Even though mental health topics may be front and center, the APA survey points out that more than half of employees feel their employer thinks their workplace is more mentally healthy than it is.
Long-held perceptions like these can change when you as a leader approach mental health honestly and regularly. An employee assistance program (EAP) is an important tool to support your employees in times of struggle, whether dealing with relationship problems, financial stressors, legal issues or other challenges. By connecting employees with necessary resources, an EAP can be one of the first lines of defense for people.
Managers can also serve as a model of mental health by openly discussing wellness and self-care. To set an example for their direct reports, managers can let their team know when they take a mental health day and share how they regularly practice self-care. Taking mental health and wellness seriously in the workplace starts with open conversations to break down any barriers.
That said, managers are not trained mental health professionals. It is understandable for managers to feel overwhelmed if their team comes to depend on them as their main source of mental health support. Encourage managers to connect with HR for guidance on helping connect employees with the mental health resources they need and setting appropriate boundaries—which will support the well-being of everyone involved.
In any workplace setup, whether remote, hybrid or in-person, one-on-one check-ins are another key tool to monitor changes. A decrease in the quality or quantity of work produced can also be a tell-tale sign of a bigger problem. Whenever you suspect an employee’s mental health or wellness is declining, you should approach them with compassion and caution, and tap your people and culture experts for support if needed.
Stay Flexible
Conversations are critical, but you also need to offer flexibility and time off for people to take care of their mental health and wellness. Some jobs are not flexible, but for those that are, flex-time options can allow employees to attend therapy sessions in the afternoon or spend time with loved ones.
Hybrid and remote work can also help with mental well-being by allowing employees to take breaks throughout the day and work in a familiar environment. Of course, in-office work has mental health benefits as well, like greater collaboration and an increased sense of community, which can reduce isolation.
Supporting the use of PTO is another tactic to further mental wellness in the workplace. Pew Research Center found that 46% of U.S. workers with PTO take less time than offered. Even with unlimited PTO, employees may feel guilty about taking “too much” time off, and while no PTO plan is truly unlimited, your team also needs to rest and recharge regularly. As a leader or manager, you should take your own PTO and set work-life boundaries to model self-care for your employees.
Any policies or procedures around these practices should be detailed in the employee handbook so your entire organization has clarity on where you stand.
Train Your Team
Supporting mental health and well-being can seem like a daunting task. However, there can be dire consequences if issues go unaddressed. Managers often are the first to notice when employees are not themselves. That said, mental health conversations may not come naturally. Ongoing mental health and well-being training for everyone within the organization will reduce the stigma and prepare colleagues to approach mental health and wellness helpfully.
It is also important to equip managers with education and training on how to manage mental health and wellness at work. This could involve teaching how to openly communicate with employees without crossing any lines into uncomfortable territory. Encourage your managers to keep an eye on their direct reports and elevate serious mental health concerns to HR so your employees feel valued and get the help they need.
By creating a supportive culture where mental health and well-being are seen as valuable parts of the workplace, you can improve the health of employees and the organization. Implement these strategies consistently and with the utmost care, and you will position your company as an employer of choice while doing right by your conscience.
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