Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is an international day on October 10th for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against stigmas related to the negativity around mental health.

In a fast-paced digital world, mental health is one of the greatest public health concerns and its impact on a successful workplace is something all organizational leaders must pay attention to.

When employees are facing emotional stress, anxiety, and burnout at work, they are most likely to turn to their HR departments for support. Here are some ways you can better support your employees’ mental health so that your business becomes more successful.

1. Remember that employees have lives outside of work

One of the greatest contributors to stress is finances. Creating workplace initiatives to support financial planning is a fantastic way to support your employees at all stages of their careers. Other ways to offer incentives and make prioritizing mental health more accessible is to take away some of the financial burden. Consider offering wellness stipends for gym memberships, massages, and other stress-relieving activities that employees can use outside of work hours.

2. Create welcoming spaces

Try to create an approachable environment that makes employees feel comfortable coming to you with their concerns. When you engage with others at work show empathy, be vulnerable, and check in often to show that you care. If an employee comes to you with a concern, validate what they are feeling, rather than shrug off what they have shared with you.

3. Be flexible

If you are in charge of mandating policies, consider changes that allow for flexible scheduling where appropriate. This shows employees that you trust them to handle their work on their time, which strengthens the foundation of the organization. If you’re in a particularly busy season, check in to make sure workload management is well. Evaluate and adjust workloads as necessary to show employees you care about their mental health.