How to Create a Work Environment That Supports Employee Mental Well-Being

As the number of people diagnosed (and undiagnosed) with mental illness continues to rise, it has become increasingly important for employers to provide a working environment that is conducive to the overall well-being of their staff. An employee who is overly stressed or emotionally overwhelmed cannot work as efficiently. Not to mention, the wrong working environment can bring down morale, increase turnovers, and hinder your success. 

Fortunately, there are lots of effective solutions and strategies employers can utilize to both prevent and support the emotional well-being of their staff. Below are a few suggestions you can consider: 

Open Communication

Whether it's about work or home life, employees need to feel comfortable enough to speak up when life is getting out of hand. Most fear talking about their emotions or mental illnesses in the workplace for fear of judgment, lack of a relationship with their employers, or the fear of losing their jobs. You can change the work environment by encouraging your team to open up. Talk to them often and freely about their roles in the workplace and their personal lives. You should also have an open-door policy that allows employees to come to you when they need to address certain matters. 

Offer Assistance

To reduce the fear of judgment or job loss, you can further create a positive work environment for your team by offering assistance. Employee Assistance Programs are very instrumental for just that. These are a list of mental health services provided to employees for free or at a very low rate. Make sure your team is aware of the programs available and how they can utilize them to their advantage. 

Provide Comfortable Working Conditions

The spaces your employees work in can have a lot to do with their emotional health. A workspace that is often dirty, poorly lit, disorganized, or inefficient can cause complications with their ability to perform at their best. Some solutions include incorporating more natural lighting into your design, decluttering office space, purchasing comfortable furniture, and investing in up to date technology and equipment. 

Recognize Great Work

Yes, your employees are paid for the work that they do every day. Be that as it may, there's nothing like being recognized for all that you do. Find ways to let your employees know that you appreciate their efforts in the workplace. Whether it's saying good job, having an employee of the month, or handing out plaques with custom engravings, it makes them feel good to know that you're paying attention. 

Support Career Goals

Most employees start working for an organization with the hopes of advancing in their careers over time. You can boost your team's spirits even more by helping them to accomplish their dreams. Talk with your employees individually to find out where they see themselves in a few years. Then, help them to develop a career plan to get where they want to be. You can also offer training and allow them to attend seminars and other networking events to further advance.

Help with Work-Life Balance

One of the biggest stressors for employees is finding a healthy work-life balance. Trying to be a great performer in the office while still being there for family is often difficult to juggle. While it is the responsibility of the employee to figure out how to manage their personal and professional life, you can make things a lot easier. You can offer flexible hours, paid or earned days off, tuition assistance (for employees and their family), daycare services, and host family-friendly events. 

Manage Workloads

Time management is another big issue for employees. Trying to get work done while still maintaining high-quality is often stressful and time-consuming. You can help your employees to better manage their time by being mindful of their workloads. Delegate tasks and responsibilities based on the skill level and expertise of each employee. Also, implement systems and work flows that help to make managing tasks easier such as utilizing project management software. 

Your employees are your greatest assets. Without a mentally strong workforce productivity and morale go way down. To get ahead of issues like this, it is highly recommended that employers utilize suggestions such as those provided above to create a work environment that supports positive mental health.