May is international Mental Health Awareness month. This annual awareness program is dedicated to educating communities about the serious effects of mental health, how to help, and the tools and resources that are available. Mental health can have effects on your performance and productivity at work and employers can implement programs and practices that can help. This month we have been posting about some pretty eye opening stats to impacts of mental health in the workplace, which shows us there needs to be more focus on improvement of mental health at work.
In addition to being a fundamental right, safe and healthy working environments are also more likely to reduce stress and disputes at work, boost employee retention, and increase performance and productivity. Conversely, a person’s capacity to enjoy their work and perform their job well can be harmed by a lack of appropriate structures and support at work, particularly for those who live with mental health issues. It can also undermine people’s attendance at work and even prevent them from obtaining a job in the first place.
To create well-being and reduce the negative effects of mental health within your work environment, create a respectful workplace policy. Creating a policy against bullying and harassment that expresses your organization’s dedication to upholding a work environment that is secure, respectful, and free from harassment and bullying. Implement exercises to improve self-awareness, interpersonal skills, mindfulness, respect, and courtesy in teams. Include team building exercises in your regular meetings. Provide clear explanations of the policy, focus on what is and is not appropriate behavior, explain the effects of disrespectful actions on others, and explain how the policy will be enforced to personnel at all levels.
Lakeland HR can help support your business in creating and fostering a positive work environment through:
Policy Development and Implementation to ensure structure is in place to consistency and proactively address workplace culture and mental health at work.
Create and maintain a Respectful Work Environment through clear policies, training, and conflict resolution.
Direct support with conflict resolution coaching, mediation, and workplace investigations
Management coaching and leadership training aimed at creating people centered leadership increasing communication, empathy, and accountability.
Case management support for accommodation on protected grounds.
During May Mental Health Month, get information about how your employees' environment impacts their mental health, how to make improvements, and where resources are to help with mental health challenges. Many factors come into play when dealing with mental health, contact us to help examine your workplace and how it affects your employees’ overall health.
Resources:
Mental Health at Work https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work
Workplace Well-being and Mental Health Toolkit https://files.constantcontact.com/efc04e50401/56265808-f04c-4e29-b9dc-373520ff5b0b.pdf?rdr=true
Workplace Strategies for Mental Health https://www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/