Mental Health in the Workplace

Having to navigate the harsh reality of COVID 19, quarantine, and continuous lockdowns has left many people feeling depleted and burned out. No longer are the days where people are willing to deal with unsatisfactory working conditions, uninspiring jobs, and inflexible work schedules. People are fed up with the high job performance expectations during one the most traumatic periods in modern history. Many people are just simply not up to it anymore and who can blame them? After years filled with trauma and hardships, people have started to reimagine what the role of work should be in their lives. The pandemic has shown us all that purpose, balance, and joy are the most important things in life. It’s important that employers prioritize everyone’s happiness and mental well-being because it results in better job performance and returns on investment. If you would like to promote mental health well-being in your workplace, here’s a few tips:

• Mental Health Days. Encourage your employees to take mental health days when needed by offering this in your benefits package as an option for Paid Time Off. People are happy to work at companies where their well-being is being encouraged and prioritized. This could also help people to have better work life balance. In addition to the PTO benefits, you can also implement a more flexible work schedule and give employees the ability to work from home if needed. Or you could even, shorten the work week to just 3 or 4 days. These efforts are not just some ploys for your employees to get free money. Don’t look at it that way. Look at it as an opportunity for you to provide your employees with a chance to bring their best and happiest selves to work every day.

• Financial Security. One of the biggest stressors during this pandemic is financial obligations. People want some financial security, but inflation is through the roof and lucrative job opportunities are rare to find. To keep your employees happy and stress free, ensure that you are competitive salary rates. This will eliminate people’s need to stress over how they will cover their mortgage payment or doctor’s bill. Your employees will have more time and mental space to focus on their work. And that’s what we want!

• Enhanced Counseling Benefits. Offer extensive health insurance benefits that include counseling services to tackle mental health problems. This helps to promote mental wellbeing and encourages employees to seek out help in times of hardship.

• Workplace Culture. Some people who have left their jobs have noted that their workplace was just emotionally draining. The high job performance expectations can be stressful, monotonous, or even overwhelming. The unprecedented depression and anxiety brought on upon the pandemic has only made it worse for employees.

Overall, it is imperative that everyone remains sympathetic to each other during these uncertain times. It doesn’t have to be as extensive as what’s listed above, but even the small steps counts.