Creating a Culture of Mental Wellness in the Workplace
For decades, we’ve known that work impacts mental health and wellbeing. Factors like micromanaging supervisors, job control, and role conflict – have been linked to sick absences, high blood pressure, depression, burnout, and a myriad of other poor health outcomes (source).
In recent years, there’s been a subtle shift to incorporate a culture of mental and emotional wellness in the workplace. Not only does this boost performance and decrease sick absences, it creates an environment where staff feel seen and valued. While creating a culture of wellness doesn’t happen overnight, companies can begin to make investments today.
SUPPLYING MENTAL HEALTH TOOLS
Before diving in, it’s important to note that everyone is different and so are mental health needs. Whether someone has been in the workforce for 20 years or recently graduated from college with their first corporate job, the proper resources and support can be the difference of feeling centered and at ease or overwhelmed and dismayed.
With that being said, cookie cutter weight loss challenges, a few packs of tea near the coffee pot, and competitions for who can send the most emails to win a fitbit are not working. Why? Because people have real needs that can’t be fixed with generic, surface level rewards and band-aids. They need to have the option to choose what will support them and keep them grounded to be their best selves at work.
To start, properly equipping managers and supervisors to understand mental health and wellbeing. Leaders need to know more than generic onboarding policies when managing staff. It’s equally important to be able to identify mental health red flags regarding burnout, depression, or even suicidal ideation. Improved understanding could begin with Mental Health First Aid trainings that are available in-person or online.
Following the education of those in charge, monthly on-site mental health training, workshops, and wellness classes for all employees can break through the workplace stereotype that working hard is the main focus and replaces it with the goal of creating balance, community connection, and boosts morale.
Along with these, incorporating digital tools into the companies onboarding is an easy and affordable fix that can do a world of good. Giving employees the option to choose a company paid Mental Health Tool and assuring them that the company supports their overall wellbeing can cause a shift in the way they see their career and workplace. It is also important to offer variety.
GETTING OUT OF THE OFFICE
Another easy way to boost wellbeing is to allow employees the option to work outside of the office at least once per week. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that most jobs can be done from anywhere and if you provide the expectation, the employee can meet it. For people with ADHD, social anxiety, and neurodivergence, a change of scenery can be a simple but effective and comforting fix. Employers can also consider if someone’s role can be done remotely. There’s no need to demand attendance in the office if the work can be done effectively from home (a park or neighborhood coffeeshop).
Moreover, companies are now going as far as giving their employees up to a week off to prevent burnout. Earlier this summer, BUMBLE noticed their employees were suffering from fatigue. Staff were routinely encouraged to use their PTO but rarely found reprieve, instead they were met with stress and worry about burdening colleagues with their time off. After the heads at BUMBLE came to the conclusion that employees felt constantly tethered to their emails, slack, and company updates, they shut down nearly the entire company for an entire week. In doing this, no one felt like they were missing something or stressed about having to catch up on work.
Although this method may seem like somewhat of a stretch, implementing this idea, even on a smaller scale (maybe quarterly or twice per year) can improve work ethic and the mental health of hard working employees. Giving workers something to look forward to without fear of returning to a stack of files and 100 unopened emails is a true win for everyone involved.
BOOTING THE STIGMA
Conclusively, and perhaps, most importantly, the best thing we can do as a whole is crush the stigma of taking mental health days, asking for help, and valuing one’s mental health above one’s duty. Even in 2021, there is still a misconception that people who speak about their mental or emotional wellbeing, or, heaven forbid, ask for time off to do, well, nothing are judged and deemed weak and lazy. This old way of thinking is unhelpful.
Just as employees are granted time off to heal from a surgery or recover from the flu, it’s equally important to heal mentally after a serious breakup/divorce or to avoid the overwhelming feeling of burn out. Balance is everything and joining the workforce shouldn’t equate to employees surrendering their wellness. Every staff member is valuable and deserves to feel honored in the workplace. This shift in mindset could change how work culture manifests.