Loz Harper's blog : Want Selection Options For Workplace Mental Health Programs? Have A Look At This
The vast amount of individuals on social networks, particularly Linked In and Open Diary, conversing about Workplace Mental Health Programs keeps growing monthly. I'd like to know what you think about Workplace Mental Health Programs?
Work-life
balance all comes down to flexibility and making work integrate
seamlessly with real-life matters. Employers who can allow for
versatility will have a competitive advantage in attracting and
retaining top talent. In the modern workplace, however, flexibility can
take many forms. Workplace health promotion programs have proven to be
successful, especially when they combine mental and physical health
interventions. The workplace is an optimal setting to create a culture
of health because ommunication structures are already in place and
programs and policies come from one central team. With new workplace
difficulties arising, companies need to maintain a positive work
environment now more than ever. Offering wellness programs, and access
to wellness resources is important for the success and productivity of
the employees. Positive affirmations through milestone gifts or customer
reviews are also a great way to keep up spirits. Employers need to
communicate clearly through policies on stress management or mental
health that people with issues will be supported and outline what help
is available, as well as being clear with employees about relevant ill
health and capability procedures. Workshops that tackle stress,
work-life balance and mindfulness are really popular for staff. From
academic study to learning the benefits of laughing, breathing and
dealing with anger to arts and crafts, workshops are a great way to
build confidence at work. Risks to mental health can arise out of the
nature of work. This includes customer related stress, remote work,
shift work and exposure to traumatic events. Risks can also arise out of
the context of work including poor team climate and poor quality people
management practices such as lack of role clarity, poorly managed
change, a breakdown in relationships and high work pressure and demands.
Mental
health can affect worker safety. Even if no actual illness is
diagnosed, it’s easy to imagine how a worker’s mental state might affect
his or her ability to make good decisions and recognize potential
hazards. It’s important to note that someone experiences a mental
illness, not that they’re suffering from a mental illness. You,
hopefully, wouldn’t say that someone is suffering from diabetes, but
rather, that they have diabetes. To say that someone is suffering from
mental illness stigmatizes it further and makes it seem as though it’s
the entirety of who they are, which is not the case. Make sure you have a
good balance between your work and non-work life, with working long
hours and overtime the exception and not the rule. Keep clear boundaries
between work and home. If you do have to take work home, or work from
home, a specific area for work can help maintain physical and mental
separation. Normalizing topics around employee mental health in the
workplace, and being able to identify and assess burnout risk, make it
easier for employees to get the organizational support they need before
reaching a crisis point. Similarly to any change that happens within
organizations, discussions around employers duty of care mental health need planning and implementing properly.
Remove The Stigma Of Discussing Employee Mental Health In The Workplace
Make
sure your company provides employee mental health benefits and services
— including everything from individual and couples counseling to group
therapy. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), for instance, provide
access to services that allow employees to reduce stress related to
childcare, housecleaning and running errands. Employees can make a
difference by encouraging their employers to offer mental health
awareness education and resources that meet their needs and interests.
Employees can also share personal experiences with others to help reduce
stigma, when appropriate. Employees who are involved in charity and
mental health advocacy outside of the organization can share their
knowledge and resources with their coworkers as well. Not putting
forward a slightly more out-there idea may be because an employee is
afraid of speaking out. The most vital action an employer can take is to
offer resources for both broader mental health and those who need
clinical services. Making clinical services accessible is critical for
employees experiencing mental illness. However, the majority of workers
don’t need clinical care — they need mental health support. As we
navigate various transitions over the coming months and years, leaders
are likely to see employees struggle with anxiety, depression, burnout,
trauma, and PTSD. Those mental health experiences will differ according
to race, economic opportunity, citizenship status, job type, parenting
and caregiving responsibilities, and many other variables. Organisations
can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for workplace wellbeing ideas today.
There
are many risk factors for mental health that may be present in the
working environment. Most risks relate to interactions between type of
work, the organizational and managerial environment, the skills and
competencies of employees, and the support available for employees to
carry out their work. We know that poor mental health has a huge impact
on an individual’s life and those around them. Impacts can range from
lack of sleep or panic attacks; difficulty in concentrating; and low
confidence. This can lead to a downwards spiral, as an individual may
withdraw from social situations and lose their support networks and
structures at a time when they need them most. Workers may come to work
even though they are unwell because they are concerned that if they
disclose a mental health problem, they will face prejudice. Reduced
productivity costs UK businesses up to £15 billion a year. Many people
spend more time in the workplace than at home. That’s why it’s essential
to create a work environment that’s focused on the well-being of its
people. As companies realize the link between their employees’ mental
health and their performance, many have started to implement workplace
wellness initiatives. If you have as many as five generations of people
at the same time and in the same workplace, there are a lot of gaps to
bridge. You have different generations bringing different perceptions,
belief systems, permission, and language to the table of how they
discuss mental health and mental illness (if they’re even willing to
discuss it). This can have a huge impact on how this topic is viewed,
treated, and debated – especially in the workplace. Subjects such as managing employees with mental health issues can be tackled by getting the appropriate support in place.
Flexible Work Schedule
Stigmas
are often subtle or used casually in conversation at work, which makes
them difficult to perceive. For instance, most employees have, at one
point or another, heard a co-worker refer to a mental health condition
negatively or in the wrong context. In fact, even the term "mental
health" all too often has a negative connotation. This stigmatization
creates a work environment in which mental health is not openly
discussed, for fear of judgment. Organisations and leaders need to take a
proactive approach towards wellbeing and mental health in the workplace
to ensure stakeholders are happy, motivated and productive. However
it’s not about merely being more resilient and expecting employees to
know how to be more resilient as individuals. It takes a concerted
effort and a joined up strategy, which plays out at all levels of the
organisation. A lot of workplace wellness tips focus on the importance
of physical health, but employees should know that mental health is just
as important! Between long hours, built-up stress, and a heavy
workload, being a full-time employee can take its toll on your mental
wellbeing. In fact, one in four Americans identified work as being a
source of anxiety. Creating good mental health wellbeing in the work
place can include being flexible and generous with employees, including
staff in community-based activities, supporting fundraising for a good
cause or charity (strong businesses need strong communities and vice
versa). It’s also about appropriately, authentically and publicly
showing gratitude to employees. It is important to be informed about the
fast moving make-up of pressures in our modern workplaces and the
factors driving the mental health and wellbeing of the people working in
them. A well-designed and effective workplace wellbeing (or mental
health) policy and programme, which gives access to appropriate therapy
and other support, can be invaluable. For employers not investing in
wellbeing initiatives, how to manage an employee with anxiety can be a difficult notion to comprehend.
Workplaces
that support flexible working, carers’ leave, childcare voucher schemes
and other initiatives to support caring roles can have a big impact on
staff mental health and productivity. Not sharing a mistake or a
learning with the wider team may be because an employee is afraid of
speaking out. Thirty years ago, most workers with mental health issues
did not expect to receive significant help from their employer beyond,
in the more enlightened or benevolent cases, tolerance and some time off
work. For the government and the bodies that enforce health and safety
at work – the HSE and local authorities – the emphasis had traditionally
been on safety with consideration of health matters mostly addressing
physical health. Your mental health strategy should align with your
workplace’s mission, vision and values. It should have a clear link to
short and long-term business goals. Consider having a key performance
indicator (KPI) specific to employee mental health. This KPI should tie
in to your company’s goals and strategies. You don’t need to be a
trained therapist to help someone with mental health issues; you just
need to be a supportive empathic human who makes an effort to understand
what someone is going through. Discussing ideas such as workplace wellbeing support is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.
Perception Of Colleagues
Depression
in the workplace can change an employee's behaviour, although,
admittedly, the red flags may not be as noticeable - especially if
you're lucky enough to not know what you're looking for. productivity
levels but when pressure exceeds people’s ability to cope – and
particularly when there is no respite – it can become a negative rather
than a positive force – in other words, it can lead to unmanageable
stress. Make sure communication methods are seamless. Establish an
‘open-door policy’ to let your employees know you’re always available
should they need to talk. Schedule regular one-to-ones to catch up with
employees, check in on them and give them regular opportunities to talk
about things on their mind. Uncover more details regarding Workplace
Mental Health Programs on this Health and Safety Executive page.