How To Promote Mental Health in the Workplace

Introduction

Mental health is so important and it's becoming something that employers are starting to take note of as a critical part of being a successful organization. Without healthy employees, an organization's effectiveness is significantly reduced. Mental health is finally gaining recognition as being just as important as physical health. So what does that look like in the workplace? Check out what some of our favorite business gurus had to say.

Create Mental Health Spaces

Giving your employees a space that they can go to if they need to decompress, make a phone call, or have some privacy for a bit can really help in work environments. 

"Just having a room that's designated as a place you can go if you need to get away from people for a bit is valuable. It's become a big thing to have collaborative spaces or open workspaces, and while these can be great for group projects, some people find constant interaction with others overwhelming," says Yuvi Alpert, Founder and CEO of Noémie. "A few minutes of quiet privacy can be very soothing to an overwhelmed employee."

"Having a place where employees can go and be away from work stress and coworkers for a few minutes can improve their productivity even though it seems counterproductive," says Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce. "If they need to make a personal call, they're not stressed about someone overhearing or worrying about that text until their lunch when they can go outside and call in privacy. Being able to make a quick escape to figure out what's going on with a family member or friend can actually reduce their stress and allow them to be less distracted through the rest of the workday."

"Having a decompression space where staff can go to relax and breathe for a bit when they get overwhelmed is very helpful. Keeping the space comfortable is just as important as having the space to begin with," says Jean Gregoire, Founder & CEO of lovebox. "If the room feels the same as the rest of the office, they're still going to feel like they're in that stressful situation. This space should be an oasis of tranquility and calming surroundings. Comfortable seats, throw blankets, cozy lighting, diffusers, and a device like an Alexa that can play music is a great way to make a space that your staff will use for mental health time."

"Giving employees a place to decompress is something that most employers have the capability of doing but don't know where to start," says Michael Jankie, Founder of The Natural Patch Co. "The goal here is not to spend tons of money and time making the perfect space, but creating a space your staff can use and feel safe and valued in knowing their mental health wellness is a priority. Leave stress balls, fidget toys, essential oil diffusers, and comfort items in the space so they can do what they need to relieve stress and return to work happier and more productive."

Implement Mental Health Measures

Mental health is something that should be talked about in the workplace. If someone is having a day of high anxiety or their depression is keeping them from functioning at their best, they should know what to do and not fear repercussions.

"Implementing mental health days is something that I think all organizations should do," says Dylan Arthur Garber, Co-Founder of Audien Hearing. "These could be spontaneous days that you give your staff off or you could encourage them to use them at their discretion when they need a day to breathe and do some self-care."

"As an employer, I think it's important to not only check in on your staff's productivity, but to make sure they're doing okay in regards to their mental wellness too," says Daniel Patrick, Founder of DANIEL PATRICK. "You can't do this if you don't have a good repertoire with your staff, so getting to know everyone is the first step here. Make sure they know they can trust you if they're having a tough day and they won't be afraid to reach out if they're struggling."

"Training your staff to identify signs that a coworker might be struggling with their mental health and creating a space that is open and safe to talk about these problems without judgement is something that employers should be doing," says Daniel Osman, Head of Sales for Balance Homes. "This creates a workspace that will allow for mental wellness measures to be respected, prioritized, and openly discussed if needed."

Show Mental Health Awareness

Leadership is all about showing others what to do. Being open and honest with your staff about how you want them to focus on their mental wellbeing in the workplace can start by exhibiting those practices yourself.

"Send out encouragement or links to mental health resources to your staff when you sense a general heightened stress due to big projects or deadlines," says Steven Vigilante, Head of New Business Development for OLIPOP. "It's important that you don't just talk about mental wellness, but you actively promote it on a regular basis. Make sure your staff knows where to go and how to reach out if they need help with their mental health wellness."

"Being supportive of staff when they're struggling with mental health can be just as important as putting mental health spaces into your workplace," says Amanda E. Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer of HIDE. "Saying you support mental health wellness in the workplace means nothing if you don't support your staff when they're struggling. This might mean telling someone to go home early and relax so they're ready for the next day or even giving team-wide accommodations by extending the lunch break so they have more time for self-care during particularly stressful projects."

Conclusion

Mental health wellness in the workplace can come from a multitude of places. First and foremost, education is key here. Employers need to understand how to respond to mental health situations and how to promote mental health wellness in the workplace if they want their staff to understand how to utilize the spaces and tools appropriately.

Creating a physical space people can go to decompress is one way to promote mental health wellness in the workplace. It's also important for employers to model good mental health by openly discussing the importance of mental wellness in the workplace. Finally, showing mental health awareness can go a long way in making your staff feel valued and like their mental health is something of importance (because it is).