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Important information to hire better and build your career from the experts in human capital.

Mental Health: How You Can Provide An Environment that Supports Employee Wellness

Employees look for work environments in which their mental health is taken seriously, but that is often hard to find. One of the factors behind the Great Resignation is workers feeling that the companies they worked for cared only about getting the job done, not what impact the pandemic or any other factors had on their lives. That’s why employers who are willing to put just a little effort into supporting their employees will see dividends in terms of productivity, engagement, and retention.

In a famous scene from Mad Men, copywriter Peggy Olsen, calls out creative director Don Draper because she missed her birthday dinner, and he didn’t even give her credit for an idea that had won the firm an award. “You didn’t even thank me,” she says.

He responds, “That’s what the money is for!”

Mental Health Is Front and Center in the Workplace

Skepticism Is Not Uncommon Among Managers

They often expect that their employees come to work, they pay them for their time – that’s it. They give little thought to what may be going with their employees’ mental health – the factors on the job and in their personal lives. At least until they see the negative impact it can have on their productivity and performance.

Making Employee Mental Health A Priority

It can help organizations attract and retain good people. Many employees who had not previously sought mental health did so during the pandemic. For some, it can be attributed to the overwhelm of dealing with work, family and health issues. For others, the increased availability of virtual therapy placed once inaccessible mental health care within reach. Individuals without access to transportation or local mental health resources might have reached out for help for the first time.

Keep Lines Of Communication Open

Employees should know they can come to their managers or HR for guidance and to get the help they need. Have frequent conversations to detect signs of burnout or stress. Try to control workloads and reduce overtime. Encourage people to take their vacations and their lunches and breaks. Regular breaks, lunch away from your desk and taking vacations and days off can make a significant difference to physical, mental and emotional health. It’s important that managers’ actions match their words. If they never take breaks, employees won’t either. If your policies look good on paper, but the reality is employees are punished or disrespected for taking time off, this attitude must be corrected.

Mental Health Is Important To People

Mental health is every bit as important to employee wellbeing as medical, vision, and dental care. Many people won’t seek the care they need if it’s prohibitively expensive and they must pay out of pocket. They even be willing to leave the company for one with better benefits. Preventative care can be as valuable for mental health as it is for physical health. Do what you can to manage the stress of your employees. Observe when they seem overwhelmed or overworked and offer real solutions. Offer employee assistance programs or insurance that includes mental health care. Providing mental health coverage is probably not as expensive as recruiting, hiring and training a new employee.

When your team is healthy – physically, mentally and emotionally – they are more productive, engaged and fulfilled.

Partner With The Panther Group  

Panther can help employers attract top talent and offer advice to improve engagement and retention. As a workforce management partner, we offer flexible staffing solutions to help you adapt to a changing economy. As one of the most trusted engineering, accounting, and finance staffing agencies, Panther can help you find professionals who will thrive in your organization and have a positive impact on your business. Contact us today. 