Is hybrid working beneficial for employee wellbeing?
October 9 2023
Read moreAccording to the HSE, one in four people in the UK will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime.
Whether work is causing the problem or aggravating existing mental health issues for your employees, having a mental health policy in place can help support your staff and create a happy, healthy working environment for them.
The silence surrounding psychological problems at work can be costly to your business. A study by Mind found that 30% of employees wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about feeling stressed, whilst 42% had considered handing in their notice because of workplace stress.
21% of individuals stated they’d called in sick to avoid work during times of stress.
If left untreated, stress can manifest into other mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. That’s why it’s never been more important to listen to your staff and ensure your company has an employee-first focus to help with managing mental health in the workplace.
Not only will this improve staff wellbeing, but it’ll also contribute to reduced rates of absenteeism and improved productivity.
It’s a measure taken to define the overall vision of your company’s approach to mental health. This provides benchmarks for preventing and treating mental disorders, as well as promoting mental health in your workplace.
The policy should apply to all members of staff and it’s your responsibility to communicate it to your teams and implement it across the company.
The policy must highlight what you as a business intend to do to acknowledge and support employees who are struggling. Examples of mental health policy elements include how you’ll aim to:
How EAP’s help with mental health
A mental health in the workplace policy establishes that your business sees these issues on the same level of importance as physical wellbeing.
Mental ill health can have a detrimental effect on productivity, collaboration and happiness. This spells bad news for your employees and business.
Having a policy in place can help to improve the following:
Mental health and wellbeing policies also promote greater wellbeing at work. Having a happier, mentally healthy workforce has many benefits for employees and business owners. These include:
As well as having a mental health policy in place, there’s lots you can do to create a mentally healthy working environment.
Promoting awareness about the issue is a huge step towards ending the associated stigmas. To do this, you could do the following as part of your mental health policy:
Host mental health information sessions
These can help employees and managers to understand the various elements of mental health and provide insight on how to help anyone who might be suffering.
You could also invest in mental health first aid training courses so your staff are able to spot early signs of problems and help those who need support.
Provide helpful resources
Ensure your staff are signposted to relevant information sites and support literature. Many Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) also include access to online hubs which hold a wealth of wellbeing articles, infographics, videos and more, ensuring your employees know how to help themselves as well as being aware of how to help colleagues in need.
Encourage open communication
It’s important to actively support employees who are facing mental health problems, so why not hold regular support sessions that allow staff to open up an discuss any issues they have?
You should also encourage managers in your company to lead by example and openly discuss their issues and experiences. This will break down the stigma of mental health and allow employees to see that it’s okay to discuss such problems at work.
Our Employee Assistance Programme provides guidance and supports your employees with their mental health in the workplace and in life. We can help you create a safe, productive workspace that supports all.
We support employees mental wellbeing with any problems they might be facing in their professional or personal lives with our 24-hour counselling helpline.
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