Supporting and maintaining employees’ mental health is a growing priority for business owners because of its implications for the workplace. If left unrecognised or untreated, poor mental health can result in negative employee performance through absenteeism, burnout, and decreased productivity.
More importantly, companies are beginning to acknowledge the impact an employee’s work environment has on their overall health and well-being. As the place many of us spend our days, earn a living, and even socialise, the workplace plays an important role in our mental health.
In order to maintain a symbiotic relationship between employee and employer, staying informed and interested in the causes and effects of poor mental health should be a priority.
While fluctuations in mood and overall health is perfectly normal, longer periods of heightened mental distress should be cause for concern. If your mental health is interfering with your ability to cope with various life situations or engage fully in relationships, it’s time to seek help.
Recognising and addressing mental health problems is even more difficult because of the negative social stigma that sometimes surrounds mental health. This is especially prevalent in the workplace, where employees may fear discrimination or loss of employment and therefore avoid speaking up. When mental health problems are triggered by colleagues or work environment, the reluctance to seek help may increase.
It’s therefore necessary to educate all employees about the realities of mental health problems, the best ways to identify them, and solutions for treating existing conditions and preventing them where possible. The following infographic from findcourses.co.uk contains important statistics about the prevalence of mental health problems in the workplace.
Actively listening to and supporting employees who are suffering from mental health problems is the first step in creating a workplace that fosters healthy minds. Encouraging employees to discuss their feelings with a trusted colleague or a manager turns the vocalisation of mental health from a taboo into a goal. Simply asking a co-worker, “how are you feeling today?” can open the channel for communication.
Most importantly, be kind to yourself and others.