Increasingly, recognizing and treating mental health has become a priority, and high-profile advocates, including star athletes like Kevin Love, urge us to stop ignoring mental health, and start caring for it directly.
There’s no way around it: It’s time to start addressing mental health within the workplace.
Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. The tricky bit about caring for mental health is that the signs that someone is struggling can often be invisible to those around them. It may be difficult for us to recognize symptoms, because they aren’t always discussed regularly, openly or in a positive light. However, like physical health, positive mental health is essential for everyone, and no one is immune.
In fact, an estimated 50 percent of all Americans are diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s no small number. In fact, it indicates the likelihood that there are employees in your workforce struggling with managing their mental health on any given day. As most of us spend the majority of our days in the workplace, creating a safe environment for mental health is essential.
There are a multitude of ways to create a workplace that supports caring for mental health, from HR-specific policies to more personalized approaches. Not every mental illness can be treated in the same way, so having a flexible approach will be most successful.
Here are a few ways you can start taking a proactive approach to mental health:
However you decide to address mental well-being in your workplace, know that making it a priority is a critical first step in creating a positive, safe environment. This leads to more productive, efficient, and happy employees. There is no greater asset than your own people, and providing them with the right resources will mutually benefit all.
A recent study found that 94 percent of employees agree that extended mental health benefits would help demonstrate an organization’s empathy toward its employees. Showing your employees empathy is a priceless gift. This month, consider assessing your mental health policies – both written and unwritten – to ensure that your organization is doing its best to support employees.
Read our 2018 State of Empathy Workplace Study for more information on why empathy is critical in business today.