Now more than ever, businesses are realizing the importance of creating a supportive work environment and good company culture for their employees. Since employees are the backbone of your business it is imperative to provide them with a good company culture as that in turn increases retention rates, and ultimately leads to better success overall.
One of the ways in which you can make a good business into a great business is by supporting your employees' mental health. Given all the anxiety and pressures of life, it's quite normal for employees to struggle from time to time, they are human after all. One of the best ways to help your employees is to destigmatize mental health care by talking about it more and reminding them it is as important as taking care of one's physical health.
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Companies can support their employees' mental health by providing a health plan that includes mental health coverage. After all, one of the proven ways for an employee to maintain his/her mental health is to opt for therapy.
Medication: Employees may need to go to a psychiatrist if their mental health condition requires medication.
Therapy: If they don't require medication but do need weekly therapy/counseling sessions, then those can also be covered by their health plan.
Testing: Employees may need to take some written tests in order to properly diagnose their condition.
Nowadays, especially since the pandemic, more and more people are opting for telemedicine through which you can consult your doctor on the phone, often via video chat. An Employee Assistance Program "EAP" which includes a telemedicine option for mental health can also be very helpful for employees.
This kind of program has all the benefits of traditional therapy. Plus, it also has the added advantage of saving time, since the patient doesn't need to travel to meet the therapist. They can do it from the comfort of their home. For those who might still need to practice social distancing, telemedicine is the perfect option.
It's also important for businesses to make sure that they create a good working environment in their offices. This can be done in various ways.
Décor: You can start by making sure that there is as much natural light as possible in your offices and that the décor is spacious and uplifting, with bright colors, plants etc.
Limiting Overtime: Make sure that your employees are not working too much overtime because this can quickly lead into burnout.
Breaks: You might also want to make sure that they take regular breaks throughout the day and return to their desks feeling refreshed. Providing a break room might be helpful for this.
Encourage communication in your offices—between yourself and your employees and between the employees themselves. If everyone feels like they are heard and their views are taken into consideration, it can greatly help in improving their mental health. Plus, you may find that communication can also increase creativity and create more enthusiasm on the job.
Many business owners and people in management positions like to have an "open door" policy to encourage communication. This literally means leaving your door open for whoever wants to speak to you. Of course, there may be times when you need to close the door and focus on whatever work you're doing. But if you can leave your door open for at least a couple of hours a day (or whatever works for you) this will give your employees a chance to tell you what they need.
There are also various techniques that can help anyone in your office to improve their mental health. It may be a good idea to educate your employees about these techniques.
Yoga: Most people agree that yoga is a great way to relieve stress and stay calm throughout the day. You can arrange for a yoga class to teach your employees the basics.
Meditation: Meditation is yet another way for most people to center themselves as and when needed. Meditation is great because it can pretty much be done anywhere you are, even at your work desk. So a meditation retreat or a meditation class can help your employees who are concerned about their mental health.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is similar to meditation but it simply involves bringing your attention to the present moment which is not always easy to do. Mindfulness training can also help your employees to feel better and be more productive.
Contact us to learn about more ways in which you can support your employees when it comes to maintaining their mental health.