Nearly 15% of people experience mental health problems in the workplace, according to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation.

An issue that was once considered taboo, it has rightfully become mainstream in the last few years, but it’s still lagging behind in one setting: The workplace.

Employees usually don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health struggles in the workplace, as they fear that they might be treated differently or seen as a liability.

Managers are not always equipped to deal with these issues, which exacerbates the issue and leaves workers feeling isolated and helpless.

In this article, we’ll share 9 tips to improve employees’ mental wellness and as a result, boost an organization’s overall productivity.

Maintaining Accountability with an Absence Tracker

An absence tracker is an important tool for promoting mental well-being in the workplace.

It helps employers monitor employee absenteeism and identify patterns that may suggest mental health concerns.

With an absence tracker, organizations can take a proactive approach to dealing with mental health issues, reducing absenteeism, and improving overall performance.

It can be a simple spreadsheet or a sophisticated software solution. Regardless of the format, it should record the reasons for absence, including mental health-related issues such as stress, anxiety, or depression.

This allows employers to identify areas for improvement in their support for mental health.

Keep in mind that maintaining an employee’s personal information should be a top priority when using an absence tracker and data should only be shared with authorized personnel.

Also, for this strategy to work, employees should feel comfortable discussing their mental health concerns without fear of stigma or discrimination.

The absence tracker can also be used to see how well mental wellness programs are working.

By comparing absenteeism rates before and after implementing specific strategies, employers can figure out which ones work best to promote mental health and reduce absenteeism.

Implementing Mental Health Education and Training

Mental health education and training can be a powerful strategy for improving performance, reducing absenteeism, and promoting mental wellness.

By adopting this method, organizations empower their workforce with the essential skills and understanding to not only identify and address their own mental well-being but also support their peers in doing the same.

To initiate this process, companies should conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to pinpoint the specific areas where employees may need supplementary assistance, such as stress management, coping mechanisms, and identifying mental health symptoms.

Once these requirements are determined, businesses can design customized training programs catering to these particular needs.

These educational initiatives can take the form of workshops, seminars, or digital courses, encompassing subjects such as mental health consciousness, self-care practices, and maintaining a balanced work-life equilibrium.

It is vital for organizations to periodically evaluate the efficacy of their mental well-being education and training initiatives and make any necessary adjustments, as no single approach suits everyone.

This can be accomplished through employee feedback surveys, monitoring absenteeism patterns, and observing overall workplace performance.

Enhancing Employee Morale through Team-Building Activities

75% of employees rate teamwork and collaboration as being vital for productivity, according to a survey by Zippia.

That has implications outside the workplace, as Team-building activities are a good way to improve employee morale and build a sense of camaraderie.

By offering employees opportunities to interact and bond outside their regular work tasks, organizations can help reduce stress, alleviate feelings of isolation, and create a more supportive and collaborative work environment.

Selecting inclusive, enjoyable, and skill-level-appropriate events is crucial to ensure all participants feel at ease and contribute to the team’s success.

Some well-liked team-building exercises encompass:

• Collaborative problem-solving: Engage in activities such as puzzles, escape rooms, or other inventive challenges that necessitate teamwork and communication.
• Outdoor endeavors: Organize events like hikes, sports contests, or group outings to foster unity and promote physical activity, which has proven benefits for mental health.
• Informal gatherings: Schedule casual get-togethers like game nights or social hours, facilitating relaxation and fostering connections beyond the workplace.

Remember to gather employee feedback to ascertain which events are most effective in enhancing morale and mental well-being.

Avoid putting your team in a position where they feel compelled to attend activities that they don’t enjoy.

Encouraging Open Communication between Employees and Management

Fostering open dialogue between employees and management is a critical yet frequently undervalued component of addressing mental health in the workplace.

When employees feel at ease discussing their concerns, needs, and ideas with their supervisors, organizations are better equipped to address potential mental health challenges and be productive enough.

Establishing a trusting and open atmosphere can be difficult, especially when employees and management might hold different viewpoints. Nonetheless, implementing the strategies below can help accomplish this objective:

• Regular check-ins: Schedule consistent one-on-one sessions between employees and managers, facilitating open discussions about work-related matters, personal challenges, and mental health concerns.
• User-friendly communication channels: Create clear and readily available communication avenues for employees to share their concerns and recommendations.
• Empathetic responses: Guarantee that managers approach employee issues with empathy, understanding, and a willingness to work together on solutions.

Remember that for most companies, it could be a while until there are tangible results from these policies, simply because trust is not something that can be built overnight.

But when these changes take effect, they can have lasting results in the workforce.

Improving the Physical Environment for Stress Reduction

The physical setting of a workplace undeniably influences employees’ mental well-being.

By implementing minor modifications to the work environment, organizations can cultivate a more comfortable and stress-relieving space that enhances performance.

Consider the following suggestions for reducing stress by improving the physical environment:

• Natural lighting: Ensure workspaces have access to natural light, which can boost mood, focus, and productivity. In cases of limited natural light, consider utilizing light therapy lamps or full-spectrum bulbs to simulate daylight.
• Ergonomic furnishings: Provide employees with ergonomic furniture and equipment.
• Greenery: Incorporate plants in the workplace to improve air quality and generate a soothing ambiance.
• Aesthetics: Utilize calming colors, artwork, and design elements to construct a visually appealing environment that encourages relaxation and alleviates stress.

By enhancing the physical environment, organizations can establish a more comfortable and stress-reducing workplace.

While these adjustments may initially seem minor, they require minimal investment to yield significant long-term benefits.

Creating Flexible Working Arrangements for Staff Members

It’s all about giving employees effective tools that will help them achieve a healthy work/life balance.

Flexibility helps people to be less stressed, more satisfied with their jobs, and less likely to miss work.

It might take a few policy changes and smart management, but here are a few ways to arrange more flexible environments:

• Remote work options: Allow employees to work remotely, either full-time or for a designated number of days per week. This allows people to create a work environment that fits their needs and helps them have a healthier work-life balance.

Learn more: 3 Steps To Improve The Dynamics of Your Hybrid Team

• Flexible hours: Permit employees to adjust their work hours to accommodate personal commitments, such as family responsibilities, medical appointments, or educational pursuits.

• Compressed workweeks: Offer employees the option to work longer hours on certain days in exchange for shorter work days or additional days off.

To ensure the success of flexible working arrangements, management and employees must be on the same page, so if the company has a communication problem, it’s a good idea to work on that first before committing to considerable changes.

Regular check-ins and performance evaluations can help make sure that flexible work policies work and meet the needs of both the organization and its employees.

By creating flexible working arrangements, organizations can support employee mental wellness, reduce stress, and foster a more engaged and productive workforce, ultimately contributing to reduced absenteeism and improved performance.

Utilizing Technology to Monitor Performance & Well-being

For some individuals, this idea may raise privacy concerns; however, when executed with appropriate tools, it can greatly enhance the work environment.

Employing technology to oversee performance and well-being can be an effective approach to fostering mental wellness in the workplace.

Organizations can monitor numerous mental health-related metrics, identify trends, and apply targeted interventions to decrease absenteeism and boost performance.

Here are three simple methods for businesses to incorporate these technologies into the workplace:

• Employee engagement platforms: Implement digital platforms that measure employee engagement, satisfaction, and well-being through regular surveys, feedback mechanisms, and data analysis.
• Mental health apps: Encourage employees to use mental health apps that offer features like mood tracking, meditation exercises, stress management techniques, and access to mental health professionals.
• Confidential reporting systems: Offer digital tools that allow employees to report mental health concerns or workplace issues confidentially. This can help organizations address problems proactively and provide support to employees in need.

But as mentioned above, to get the most out of technology, it’s important to keep employees’ personal information safe.

So, transparency and trust are good vehicles to get employees to engage with these tools.

The use of technology can give organizations valuable insights into their employees’ mental health and help keep a vigilant eye on concerning behaviors, allowing the appropriately trained personnel to intervene with empathy and compassion.

Developing a Support Network for Employee Mental Health

Everyone needs a support network, especially in highly stressful environments with high stakes and deadlines.

Organizations can help employees manage mental health concerns, reduce absenteeism, and improve performance by providing resources and fostering a culture of understanding.

Below are some practical ways you can develop a support network for employee mental health:

• Implement EAPs that provide employees with access to professional mental health services, such as counseling, therapy, or crisis intervention.
• Encourage employees to form peer support groups where they can share their experiences and provide emotional support to one another in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
• Organize mental health awareness campaigns that promote understanding, break down stigma, and inform about available resources and support options.
• Provide access to self-help materials, like books, articles, or online resources, to help them better understand and manage their mental health.
• Promote work-life balance by encouraging workers to take breaks, disconnect from work during non-working hours, and make use of flexible working arrangements or time-off policies.

Developing a support network for employee mental health requires ongoing commitment from both management and employees.

By regularly evaluating the effectiveness of these support initiatives and making adjustments as needed, organizations can create a more supportive workspace that promotes mental health.

Establishing Incentives for Positive Workplace Practices

Positive reinforcement can strengthen relationships in the workplace and clearly define and communicate good behavior.

And the best part, these policies are simple to implement most of the time.

Here are some ideas for easily adoptable incentives:

• Organize wellness challenges that encourage employees to engage in healthy behaviors, such as exercise, mindfulness, or stress reduction techniques. You can encourage employees to participate by offering rewards!

• Implement programs that acknowledge employees for their contributions to creating a supportive and mentally healthy work environment. This can include recognizing acts of kindness, collaboration, or effective stress management.

• Offer training, workshops, or courses focused on improving mental health, communication skills, or leadership abilities.

• Provide employees with flexible benefits that can be customized to suit their individual needs, such as mental health support, gym memberships, or personal development courses. This encourages employees to prioritize their mental wellness and personal growth.

• Tie rewards or bonuses to performance metrics that include mental wellness goals, such as employee engagement, reduced absenteeism, or successful completion of mental health training programs.

• Offer team-based incentives for achieving collective wellness goals, such as participating in team-building activities, volunteer initiatives, or wellness challenges. This can help foster a sense of camaraderie and shared responsibility for mental wellness in the workplace.

Workers that are rewarded and recognized for good performance tend to continually improve in productivity and well-being and show a willingness to learn new skills and take on more responsibility inside the company.

Mental wellness has been at the forefront of the public health debate and has profound effects in the workplace.

If left unchecked, it can seriously hurt workers’ health and, consequently, a business’s productivity.

That’s why it’s essential for a company’s leadership to take a proactive role in promoting mental well-being and creating a comprehensive network that can provide workers with the resources they need.

In taking the necessary steps, an organization is not only looking after its employees but also setting itself up for success in the long run, as these policies have been shown to have a positive impact on performance.