Creating a Healthier Workplace – How to Promote Mental Health at Work
More often than not, Mental Health is considered to be a taboo – a topic not often explored in most social settings. Especially in the workplace.
Unfortunately, Mental Health Issues are still mainly misunderstood, giving rise to prejudice and often resulting in unpleasant and unproductive working environments.
Underestimating the importance of Mental Health proves to be detrimental to the wellbeing of professionals within their working environments, for both employers and their staff members alike. A lack of Mental Health Awareness in the workplace can lead to decreased motivation and productivity, compromised quality of work, wasted resources, and even an increase in excuses and absenteeism within teams.
For employers, this takes its toll on overall business output as well as the dynamics within their working environments, potentially resulting in financial losses and tarnishing valuable relationships with their employees. For employees, a lack of Mental Health Awareness creates an environment where individuals may feel discouraged or uncomfortable to share their challenges and obstacles faced within their personal capacity, and how these potentially impact their overall wellbeing and productivity at work.
There are a number of factors within a working environment that may contribute to poor Mental Health amongst staff members, including:
- Improper communication and poor management practices;
- Limited freedom to participate in decision-making or low control over one’s area of responsibility;
- Unclear tasks and objectives;
- Low levels of support for employees;
- Inflexible working hours;
- Unrealistic expectations and an overwhelming workload.
Encouraging Mental Health and Awareness in the workplace will not only promote the wellbeing of each individual employee, but will also have a positive effect on the health of the organisation as well.
The best strategies to create a more Mentally-Healthy workplace include:
- Discuss Mental Health and raise awareness in the workplace;
- Enable and promote a healthy work/life balance;
- Promote wellness and healthy lifestyles, including mental strength, physical exercise and a healthy diet;
- Enable higher levels of flexibility and authority amongst staff members at work.
As Humans, we believe in establishing healthy, happy workplaces where everyone can thrive. We also believe in the importance of addressing Mental Health in the workplace for the overall wellbeing of an organisation and its employees.
Good management and Mental Wellbeing go hand-in-hand at work. It’s time to break the stigma by prioritising Mental Health and developing supportive and compassionate relationships within your teams.
Start creating awareness by sharing this with someone who may need it!
