Mental Health in the Workplace: A Guide for HR Professionals

Looking for the key to your organization’s success?

Prioritizing Mental Health in the workplace is key to ensuring that your employees are happy and willing to work productively. As a Human Resources (HR) Professional, you are likely at the forefront of implementing mental health initiatives within your company. Below you will find strategies for implementing mental health initiatives, highlights on the importance of mental health in the workplace, and its impact on employee engagement.

The Importance of Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as…

Your team’s mental health is directly correlated to their overall satisfaction, productivity/performance, and attendance. Organizations that lack a proper Mental Health strategy can suffer from the following: 

1. Decreased productivity
2. Increased absenteeism
3. Higher turnover rates

According to WHO, depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy nearly $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Additionally, the American Institute of Stress states that workplace stress is a leading cause of mental health issues, with 83% of US workers experiencing work-related stress.

6 Strategies for Promoting Mental Health

1. Create a Supportive Culture

Reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by encouraging open communication and creating a culture of acceptance and understanding.

Action: Implement regular mental health awareness campaigns and training sessions for employees/employers

2. Provide Access to Mental Health Resources

Many people do not have the ability to access mental health resources and are forced to suffer through their experiences with poor mental health alone.

Action: Offer mental health benefits to employees as part of your organization’s comprehensive benefits package, including access to counseling services, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), and mental health days.  Ensure that your employees are aware of these resources and how to access them.

3. Implement Flexible Work Policies

Flexible work arrangements can help reduce stress and burnout, balance work and personal responsibilities and improve mental health.

Action: Implement policies such as remote work options and flexible hours.

4. Train Managers to Recognize and Support Mental Health Issues

Managers should obtain the skills to identify signs of mental health issues and know how to appropriate support.

Action: Provide managers with training on active listening, empathy, and how to direct employees to relevant resources.

5. Work-Life Balance

A healthy work-life balance helps to avoid stress, burnout and turnover rates. A healthy work-life balance can help improve mental health among employees. Promote a healthy work-life balance by setting realistic workload expectations and discouraging excessive overtime.

Action: Set realistic workload expectations, discourage excessive overtime, encourage employees to take regular breaks and use their vacation time.

6. Develop a Comprehensive Mental Health Policy

It is important that employees know that their employers and HR professionals take their mental health seriously. Developing a comprehensive Mental Health Policy provides employees with a sense of security in knowing that they have support from their employers if they need it.

Action: Establish a clear mental health policy that outlines the company’s commitment to mental well-being, the resources available to employees, and the procedures for seeking help.

The Role of Employee Engagement in Mental Health

When employees are engaged in their work and their organization’s purpose, their mental health is less likely to be affected by stress and burnout from the workplace. Here are some ways that HR Professionals can enhance employee engagement to support employee mental health:

1. Foster a Sense of Purpose

If employees understand the impact that their work/contributions have on the company’s mission and values, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated.

2. Promote Inclusion and Diversity

A good way to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace is to provide diversity training and hold team-building activities that celebrate different cultures and perspectives from peers and fellow employees. Implementing these exercises will help make employees feel values and respected.

3. Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development

Showing employees that there is a clear path for growth and development within their organization will give them a sense of purpose, making it more likely for employees to be engaged and committed to their work. Investing in employee development includes training programs, mentorship, and career advancement opportunities.

4. Recognize Reward and Efforts

Regularly acknowledging and rewarding hard work and achievements will make employees feel appreciated, which can enhance their sense of worth and motivation. Try providing employees with verbal praise, awards, and/or financial incentives.

5. Social Connections

Strong social connections at work can provide employees with emotional support and reducing any feelings of isolation they may have. Consider organizing social events, team-building activities and encouraging collaboration to foster a sense of community within the workplace.

6. Gather and Act on Employee Feedback

Regularly seek employee feedback using surveys and open forums. Use employee feedback to make improvements within your organization to show employees that their opinions are valuable.

Case Study Examples

• Microsoft offers their employees comprehensive mental health benefits such as access to counseling services and mindfulness programs, and promoting flexible working arrangements to promote health work-life balances.

Result: An increase in employee satisfaction and productivity.

• Google provides employees with on-site wellness centers, mental health days, access to EAPs and fosters a culture of openness by encouraging employees to speak openly about mental health issues.

Result: These initiatives contribute to Google’s reputation as a top employer.

• Unilever has a “Lamplighter” program which focuses on building mental resilience among employees through workshops, e-learning modules, and access to mental health resources. Furthermore, Unilever implements flexible work policies to promote employee work-life balance.

Result: An improvement to employee well-being and lower absenteeism rates.

Summary

HR Professionals play an important role in creating a supportive workplace environment through strategies such as:

• Supporting access to mental health resources
• Encouraging work-life balance
• Fostering a sense of purpose
• Cultivating inclusion
• Facilitating growth opportunities

By prioritizing mental health and engagement, organizations can create a thriving workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to perform at their best. A commitment to mental health and employee engagement will remain essential to achieving sustainable success.

In conclusion, Employee Engagement Surveys are powerful tools for your organization to understand, measure, and improve employee satisfaction. By following the best practices recommended by Flex Surveys, such as setting clear objectives, ensuring confidentiality, and acting on feedback, your organization can leverage these surveys to foster a culture of open communication and continuous improvement. We are committed to helping your organization navigate the complexities of Employee Engagement and drive positive change within your organization. Contact us today to learn more about our customizable survey solutions and how we can support your organization’s Employee Engagement initiatives.