Many studies have proven that happy employees are more creative, productive, and less likely to quit.
A study conducted by the Social Market Foundation found that a satisfied employee is up to 20% more productive than unhappy employees. According to a Harvard Business Review, when it comes to salespeople, happiness has an even more significant impact, increasing sales by 37%.
So how can you create a positive environment for mental health in the workplace?
Promote a work/life balance
Without a healthy work/life balance, productivity is likely to decline, and employees are more likely to burn out.
Encourage people to develop a rich, full life outside of the office and take regular vacations where they are able to unplug from the office.
For example, Nike closed its officesin August 2021 and 2022 to avoid employee burnout and stress and give them extra time to rest and recover. Because everyone was away at the same time, teammates could really unplug, without worrying about what was happening back at the office or getting anxious about the emails piling up.
Be open about mental health
Don’t be afraid to bring up issues related to stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental illness. Talk openly about it and make it clear that everyone struggles to stay mentally healthy sometimes.
Provide opportunities for managers to attend training about the signs of mental health problems and train them to respond appropriately.
Reduce the stigma
For a long time, talking about mental health was a taboo subject, and it still can be for some people. Talk about stress management, self-care and mental health in emails, meetings etc. to increase awareness.
Make wellness a priority
Help your employees to develop good habits. You can offer incentives to employees who participate in wellness programs, or free gym memberships.
Some organizations also have wellness days where they organize small treats for their staff, such as massages or nail treatments during the workday.
Provide resources and in-service events
Give employees access to education and resources from national organizations or hire a therapist to organize workshops with your employees to prevent problems and emphasize the importance of building healthy strategies in their daily life.
It will likely take a while before we begin to treat mental illness similar to the way we treat physical illness. But until then, you can begin promoting psychological wellness by educating your employees about mental health to avoid burnout, and mental breakdown and reduce suicide risk.
