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Mental health is an important topic that should be spoken about openly, companies need to realize that their employees can suffer from mental healthy issues due to work or personal reasons.
As mental health is a very crucial topic, companies need to consider prioritizing it as it can make a huge positive change; in fact, companies that provide mental health care or services attract many employees. So, if you’re an employer, here’s how your company can prioritize mental health.
Create A Culture That Allows Employees To Freely Talk
Employees need to feel that they’re in a safe zone where they can talk about their mental health issues, especially the ones caused by work.
Create a culture of openness where your employees feel safe to share how they feel and how stressful work is; talk to them about similar issues so they can be encouraged to talk about it as well. Also, encourage the other managers to talk to their employees and teams about mental health issues caused by work, so they feel comfortable sharing what they go through. You can also encourage them to check with the mental health services your company provides.
Provide Mental Health Coverage
You can do so by creating internal groups that specialize in mental health or you can seek mental health organizations.
You can provide coverage and services by collaborating with organizations to provide therapy sessions or provide discounts for your employees. You can also hire a group dedicated to mental health for your employees to guide them, help them, and support them. You have to choose well-trained individuals so they can properly help your employees without pushing them or making them uncomfortable.
Observe Your Employees And Their Performance
As an employer, you should keep an eye on your employees’ productivity so you can notice any change.
When there’s a negative change in your employee’s performance, you have to know the reason why. Mental health issues affect physical health and overall productivity and performance. Have w talk with your employee and ask them about what is affecting their performance. Once you know, provide help and watch the transition.
Educate Your Employees On The Topic
Host events or workshops where professionals can teach them about mental health.
People need to know more about mental health problems and how work can play a vital role in developing depression, anxiety, and sometimes even panic attacks.
You can raise awareness by hosting or participating in events that discuss this matter, you can also create workshops where specialized individuals can teach your employees how to manage a panic attack or an anxious situation
Create A Monthly Work Evaluation
At the end of each month, you can ask your employees to evaluate the workload, from this evaluation you can start creating a new work system.
This monthly evaluation will let you know how your employees managed their tasks and how they managed their deadlines as well. It will also let you know when they are stressed and why and if your mental health coverage is making a change.
Offer Mental Health Days
You can include them in their sick days or create a different system that allows employees to take a break.
There was an email that went viral on all social media platforms when an employee asked her boss to take a day off because she was having a bad time and her manager agreed. You can apply a new policy that states that employees can take days off if they’re not feeling mentally well. A couple of days off per month won’t hurt the work system, in fact, it might improve it.
Companies need to pay more attention to this topic and accept the fact that their employees might be facing a hard time and lack of productivity because of what work is causing them, so be merciful.
