How Employee Mental Health Impacts Engagement

Plenty is made of productivity levels in the workplace, the need to increase the levels of productivity and get value for the cost of the workforce. However, what often slips under the radar is workplace engagement. If individuals are simply turning up to the workplace, just getting through the day and giving the bare minimum levels of effort, then you are not getting the most out of your people. This could be due to a lack of workplace engagement which could be caused by declining mental health. Both typically go hand in hand with each other and can lead higher costs with lesser returns.

What is employee engagement?

Employee engagement can be defined as the level of commitment and interest an individual has in their organisation, their colleagues and the work they are carrying out. When an individual feels connected to their work, passionate and involved, their motivation to succeed and support their organisation and colleagues increases, resulting in higher productivity and a better return on the work being carried out. The main aim of employee engagement is to encourage greater organisational commitment, output and longer tenure with an organisation, meaning reduced costs due to less recruitment and training.

How does mental health impact engagement in the workplace?

It has been shown in recent studies that organisations with higher levels of workforce engagement benefit from greater productivity and profitability. It is for this very reason that it has become a top priority for business leaders in the UK. Workforce engagement isn’t guaranteed however. When someone is struggling with declining mental health, they can quickly switch their focus, become disengaged and struggle with workplace commitments. Here are just a few ways that mental health can impact workforce engagement:

Increased absenteeism: When people are unengaged, struggling with their mental health and feeling unsupported by their organisation, they can quickly begin taking more sick days and being absent more often.

Increased presenteeism: The same principle applies for when those same people arrive in the workplace but aren’t engaged and therefore aren’t committed and their levels of working output are largely decreased.

Decreased creativity: Struggling with a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression can lead to become isolated and detached, which can be hugely detrimental to creativity as an individual is less likely to innovate or communicate new ideas to others.

Lower team morale: Members of a team who are struggling with their mental health can become far more negative and critical of their workplace environment, inspiring lesser engagement from themselves and those around them as they feel they aren’t being supported or are hearing negative sentiment about an organisation.

How supporting mental health can boost employee engagement

The issues with employee engagement and poor mental health have been detailed, but the reverse is also true. When organisations support the mental health of their workforce, they can boost employee engagement. When people feel recognised, valued and supported, they will dedicate themselves more to those who support them and provide added value in productivity and commitment levels.

Reduced turnover rates

Supporting the mental health of your workforce shows individuals that you not only care for their career development and the interests of the organisation, but also for them as people. The quickest and easiest way to encourage turnover in your organisation is failing to manage the mental health of your people. When people feel abandoned, at risk and concerned for their wellbeing, they will begin looking at other employment opportunities. Supporting them will show you are committed to them, and they will return the favour with higher levels of employee engagement.

Greater communication

Employee engagement isn’t simply individual, it’s a collaborative ecosystem. If one person fails to deliver in their role, it can negatively impact the performance and engagement of another. Therefore, by supporting the mental health of one person, you are improving their mood, boosting their engagement and ensuring they are more open to communicating and improving their collaboration skills with others. This makes a workforce operate in a smoother and more efficient manner as they are more prepared to support each other, either with tasks or with their own mental wellbeing.

Increased motivation

Productivity and engagement are things all organisations want to inspire amongst their people. Much like with exercise, a diet, learning a new skill or remaining committed to continuing a hobby, it all relies on individual motivation. People will only want to see an organisation they work for grow when they are motivated to support the ambitions of their line managers and are committed to the goals of the organisation. This is why supporting the mental health of individuals is crucial. It can provide them clarity, focus and demonstrate that you respect their needs and wellbeing, inspiring the motivation to innovate and perform to their ultimate potential.

How to improve employee engagement

To improve employee engagement, organisations and leadership teams need to recognise the value of the mental health of their workforce. They need to be prepared and committed to putting the measures in place to support their people and boost employee engagement. It is a two-way street. When people feel supported, they will reciprocate. Here are a few ways in which organisations can support their people to inspire greater employee engagement:

Provide opportunities for growth

Humans are much like organisations. They thrive off opportunities and growth. When people know that their chances to progress or develop are limited, they will quickly become disengaged and lose interest. When an organisation provides its people with the opportunity to develop their skills, learn new ones, grow as a person and continue to climb the ladder in their career, they will commit to that organisation as they feel they are trusted, and their abilities are valued.

Cultivate a culture of openness

Isolation can cause a person’s wellbeing to quickly nosedive. Whilst some may value their own space and peace of mind from time to time, if they are required to constantly be alone, isolated or cannot communicate with their colleagues when things trouble them, their mental health will quickly deteriorate, and their engagement will evaporate. When organisations encourage collaboration, communication and supporting others, they will find their people’s mental wellbeing is not only maintained, but improved. This can be achieved through regular social events, team meetings where each individual can provide feedback and input and one-to-ones where individuals can feel secure in seeking support, they will better engage with their work and the organisations goals.

Manageable workloads and healthy work-life balance

People value balance. That can be true in all aspects of life. Balanced diets, balanced social life between family and friends, and particularly a healthy work-life balance. People want to feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead of them when they come into the workplace. They do not want to feel as if the only break they have had from their working life is during their sleep. When people are taking work home with them, whether it be physically or mentally, they become drained, detached, burntout and it can even lead to depression. Understanding the capacity of your workforce, assigning manageable workloads, regularly checking in to see how they are coping and if they need further support will greatly improve workforce engagement as the split between work and personal life will become more defined and provide opportunity for rest.

How can an Employee Assistance Programme help employee mental health and engagement?

Supporting the mental health of your people directly translates into supporting their levels of engagement in the workplace. Cultivating a supportive working environment where people feel comfortable seeking the necessary support and being open with their issues is essential to organisational growth. It is for this very reason that organisations and senior leadership teams must work to continually support and boost the mental wellbeing of their people.

Concerns on a micro level can snowball and have a negative impact on overall culture. Using HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), your people have access to expert, BACP accredited support they can access confidentially, 24/7, 365-days a year. When individuals are dealing with feelings of stress and feel their mental health is declining, they can access a free 24/7 helpline with our expert counsellors.

Through our helpline, employees can access legal and financial information, relationship advice and mental health support all year round and seek support on boosting their mental wellbeing and workplace engagement. As well as this, they will have access to the Wisdom App, loaded with resources to help them track their mood, nutrition and access breathing techniques which can help with feelings of stress and anxiety to ensure a clear mind in the workplace.

Conclusion

Employee wellbeing and mental health is directly tied to employee workplace engagement. If an individual’s mental wellbeing begins to decline, whether it be due to stress, anxiety or depression, their workplace output will also decrease. It is imperative that organisations work to manage employee mental health to ensure productivity is maximised and there is a true return on their investment.