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Mental Health In The Workplace Initiatives: The Canonical Guide

We talked with a myriad of people in relation to Mental Health In The Workplace Initiatives and compiled the following details. I trust you find it illuminative.

The Health and safety executive (Hse) estimates that every year around 1.5 million people experience a health problem that they believe to have been caused by their current or past work: stress being the largest cause of work-related illnesses. Someone experiencing severe anxiety due to a debt problem might find that the demands of their job, which under normal circumstances are manageable, are now beyond them. Conversely, someone who is under prolonged stress at work might find challenges in their life outside work, such as caring responsibilities, become unmanageable. This can then create a negative feedback loop which further undermines their performance and puts greater pressure on them in the workplace. Diverse teams call for diverse work environments – and all diverse teams include a healthy mix of different personalities like introverts, ambiverts and extroverts. Forcing everyone on your team to work in a loud environment may keep the extroverts happy but will mentally drain your introverts. And extroverts may feel lonely and excluded when not given the freedom to converse and interact with colleagues openly. In many workplaces, a more traditional divide between the personal and professional persists, and lingering stigma keeps many people from even bringing up mental health with their colleagues or bosses. People are still afraid they won’t get the job or get promoted if they talk about it. Research has shown that there are many reasons why workplace wellness pays back. Of course, it is hard to calculate the payoff in monetary value, although a study published in Health Affairs has shown that there is a return on investment. But you can also measure the gains in your team’s performance and general wellbeing. The mismanagement of issues of diversity in the workplace can often lead to social exclusion and create a discriminatory work environment. Substantial research evidence demonstrates that discriminatory experiences have a significant negative impact on both mental and physical health outcomes.

Mental Health In The Workplace Initiatives

There is much evidence to show that having a healthy workforce leads to happier, more engaged and more loyal staff. Your organisations reputation will also get a boost when it begins to be recognised as a mentally healthy, supportive workforce. By being initially proactive about starting mental health conversations, you will make it more likely that team members will in time approach you themselves when they’re struggling. Moving away from a micromanagement leadership style to achieve results can help build employee confidence. Far from making workers sick, it can improve employee wellness by empowering them to make informed decisions based on the skills and expertise they have developed throughout their careers and lives. Studies have shown that regular physical exercise can assist lift your mood and reduce stress. This could be a regular routine, such as hitting the gym or going for a stroll during lunchtime or during a break. If all else fails, keep standing up at least once per hour, more if you work at a desk, to give your body and eyes a breather. Don't forget to send out proper internal communications around workplace wellbeing ideas in your organisation.
 

Model Healthy Behaviors

Irrespective of the work setting, people’s needs will be taken into consideration and staff will feel comfortable enough to be truthful about how they are coping and raise concerns where appropriate. Really, this should be possible within every positive company culture. There needs to be mental health provisions that can support any individual and any organization of any size. Although awareness of mental health has increased, research highlights that this topic, which affects every one of us, is still not being discussed or supported enough in organizations. People have always looked to their managers for support, and that has increased since early 2020; tensions are at an all-time high. A leader’s actions and behaviors can serve as a guide to let team members know it’s OK to speak up and show vulnerabilities. It is important to have clear leadership and meaningful involvement in the development of a mental health programme. Organisational commitment to promoting the mental health of all employees is crucial regardless of their role within the organisation. Any programme should try to address the range of mental health issues and provide clear definitions. Whether you have a job that leaves you rushed off your feet or one that is monotonous and unfulfilling, the most effective way to combat job burnout is to quit and find a job you love instead. Of course, for many of us changing job or career is far from being a practical solution, we’re grateful just to have work that pays the bills. Whatever your situation, though, there are still steps you can take to improve your state of mind. Discussing ideas such as Wellbeing for HR is good for the staff and the organisation as a whole.

More job autonomy is associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression. Employers can increase employees' autonomy by allowing them more freedom to craft how they do their roles. When cancers are caused by people’s work, they are called occupational cancers. Occupational cancers can be caused by many things, and affect many workers, but despite this they have often been overlooked. As a result, occupational cancer is sometimes referred to as a ‘forgotten epidemic’. Maybe you hate your job because the job sucks. Then again, why did you end up in a job you hate to begin with? Was it because you weren’t sufficiently aware of your values and picked a line of work you find disagreeable? Or do you have poor boundaries and let other people bully you until you grow so bitter that you resent every minute of working with them? Even in the most positive workplaces, a certain amount of stress is inevitable—but many employees just aren’t very successful at managing it. Instead, they become overwhelmed, unproductive, and anxious. When left unaddressed, this workplace stress can quickly lead to burnout and create health issues. Your organization’s mission statement must engender trust and integrity. These drivers will not only encourage workers to be motivated to perform well, if they know their employers are committed to supporting their mental health along with every other aspect of their wellbeing, this will instill a commitment to your organization. Subjects such as employers duty of care mental health can be tackled by getting the appropriate support in place.
 

Flexible Work Schedule

Analysis by Deloitte suggests poor mental health costs employers up to £45 billion each year. This can be broken down to: £29.3 billion in Presenteeism costs (when individuals are less productive due to poor mental health in work); £8.6 billion in staff turnover costs; and £6.8 billion in absenteeism costs. For employers striving for team or departmental peak performance, the lines blur when judging if an employee is genuinely suffering from depression or simply ill-suited to the job they are paid to do. And because it’s an imbalance of chemicals and therefore hidden, many miss the signs and forget to walk a mile, or even a metre in their colleagues' shoes . Employees have different perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward mental health. Think about how we talk about mental health today, the variety of terminology we have to name our emotions, feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and actions. We haven’t always had these terms of expression. What we use now is an evolution of and reference to the original terminology created in a clinical setting, that was eventually adapted into larger societal usage. What policies and practices are already in place that have a direct bearing on mental health? A key component of these should be a policy on protecting employees from stress. A policy against stress is not a policy against hard work – most people thrive in temporary periods of pressure when a well-managed team is working together towards a well-understood objective. Even though it may not be easy to become an employee-centric company addressing managing employees with mental health issues it is of utmost importance in this day and age.

When we create workplace cultures where people can be themselves, it is easier for people to speak about mental health concerns without fear, and easier for them to reach out for help when they need it. Even so, the decision to disclose distress at work is not one people take lightly. It is vital that workplaces become environments where people feel safe to be themselves. Some people are naturally more emotional than others and will freely display their emotions. Others will always keep their behaviour uber-professional. The key is to know your team because shifts in emotional patterns may indicate an employee is struggling with their stress levels. The most important thing employees need from leadership is genuine empathy and kindness. Take it from one employee who alerted her team that she would be taking a mental health day. The CEO responded with a personal thanks for “help[ing] cut through the stigma so we can all bring our whole selves to work.” His response quickly went viral and clearly struck a chord. Being kind and supportive doesn’t cost anything—and it can go a long way. Mental health interventions should be delivered as part of an integrated health and well-being strategy that covers prevention, early identification, support and rehabilitation. Occupational health services or professionals may support organizations in implementing these interventions where they are available, but even when they are not, a number of changes can be made that may protect and promote mental health. There are a number of different types of mental health problem, and they each have a different impact on the individuals who experience them, as well as their friends and families. Problems can range from anxiety and depressive disorders to much more complex and severe mental health illnesses. Organisations can make sure their employee benefits package provides support for workplace wellbeing support today.
 

Keep An Eye Out For Depression

The best way to look after your employees is by taking care of their mental, physical and emotional health – by making wellness your business asset protection plan, if you like. And, as part of that plan, promoting simple, behavioural habits that will make a real difference to how your employees feel. Effective management and open dialogue are fundamental to unlocking the potential of staff, reducing uncertainty and preventing stress – and having an effective, empowered employee voice is integral to this relationship. Employers should have clear mental health policies/plans that are implemented at all levels. They should also make senior leaders responsible for leading mental health activities, with all managers engaged in all activities. You can get more information appertaining to Mental Health In The Workplace Initiatives at this Health and Safety Executive page.
 

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