One lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that mental health is just as important to employee well-being as physical health:
- According to a survey reported by Forbes and conducted in collaboration with the Harvard Business Review, 62% said they have struggled with work and fatigue “sometimes” or “often” since the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
- 42% said their mental health had deteriorated. As a result, supporting mental health is critical to employee behavior, productivity, and the bottom line, now more than ever.
This is not a new revelation. In the years leading up to 2020, many employers and HR professionals have recognized the importance of including mental health coverage in their insurance plans and offering Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and mental health training.
The difference between then and now is that some companies are responding to this unprecedented pressure by finding new and creative ways to support the mental health of their employees. These procedures are “new and innovative” because they go beyond the standard mental health support that many employers already provide. Also, you can find some amazing stuff for mental health from Tradekey.com.
Examples Of Creative Ways To Support Employee Mental Health:
Here are five examples of how businesses are prioritizing employee mental health in new ways…
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Make Room For Mental Health, Of Course.
Create the perfect room for rest, relaxation, meditation, creative inspiration, or just games and fun. Consider giving the room a name and atmosphere to convey feelings of security and retreat or fun and play.
mindfulness practices can help employees reduce stress, improve focus, and increase overall well-being. Companies can provide meditation rooms, offer mindfulness classes, or even bring in mindfulness experts to guide employees through mindfulness exercises.
If an entire room is not possible, something as simple as a comfortable sofa around a coffee table can invite you to refresh, de-stress, or socialize with your colleagues. On the other hand, outer space can do the same thing. Top 11 B2B websites also stress this point because this is what it is.
Employers can also set aside time during the workday or workday to share positive feedback and reflections, or have live reflection sessions. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of meaningful affirmations, perhaps with quiet time for journaling or meditation, can be an opportunity to rediscover a sense of purpose, gratitude, and/or focus.
Make Mental Health A Corporate Value And Key Performance Indicator (KPI).
When employees know that self-care is now one of their performance measures, this helps reinforce the message that mental health is a company benefit. Suddenly saying “we care about mental health” or “mental health is important” sounds much louder.
What is good for one person’s mental health is not the same for other people’s mental health. Therefore, it helps and supports employees to set personal goals through KPI. Instead of writing a rigid “to-do” list, consider providing some general examples of KPIs that employees can select and customize.
For example, both people may want a lot of work in life, but they may need different methods to achieve them. One of them may start exercising after work to draw a line between work and personal life; another may choose to use an app that turns off emails and service notifications at certain times of the day. When users have the freedom to choose the options that will work best for them, the process itself can help them put the message “my mental health is a priority”.
Emphasize Work Results First.
Work results are important and should be prioritized. However, strict rules about when to start and stop work may not be the best way to achieve these results. Research shows that for employees who don’t have to work on a regular schedule, more flexibility can increase satisfaction, engagement, retention, productivity, and (for full-time employees) pay for the time they work.
When employees have more freedom and flexibility at work, they can fulfill their commitment to self-care which is beneficial to their mental health. Perhaps a weekly therapy session, lunch with friends, or a morning jogging group – or all of the above. The division of mental health and reward and employee productivity deserves it.
Ask Your Employees What They Want.
If they have access to these tools for free, what mental health or meditation tools (if any) can they use to screen your employees? Then make those registrations free to access.
There’s an app for everything these days, which may require an initial screening, and the biggest mental health app out there. For example, many people use the popular meditation app Headspace to guide meditation and techniques for coping with stress, anxiety, and depression. But there’s an entire industry of mental health apps made up of employers and their players, which may require some research into what they offer.
Employees can also provide a good piece of information. When they are screened, they can provide more information about the type of mental health support they need through the app. They can also recommend the app they want to subscribe to.
Providing employees with flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible schedules, can reduce stress levels and improve mental health. When employees feel that they have control over their work-life balance, they are more likely to feel fulfilled and motivated.
Employee Support Groups.
Employee support groups can provide a safe and supportive environment for employees to discuss their mental health concerns. These groups can be led by trained facilitators or mental health professionals and provide employees with a sense of community, as well as opportunities for education and skill-building.
Conclusion
supporting employee mental health is essential for promoting overall well-being, and companies can play a significant role in this. By incorporating creative and proactive strategies, companies can provide their employees with the support and resources they need to thrive. By investing in employee mental health, companies can not only improve the well-being of their employees but also benefit from increased productivity, engagement, and job satisfaction.
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