In today’s business landscape, mental health is more important than ever. Leaders are recognizing it as a necessary focus in boosting productivity and loyalty and reducing sick days. They must do their part to promote emotional wellness in the workplace.
So, what can you do as a CEO to ensure your workers are happy and healthy? Read on to find out.
Why is Mental Health So Important in the Workplace?
- Boosts Productivity: Leaders who focus on mental health will see better productivity from their workers. Employees will be less likely to suffer from burnout. They will thrive in the workplace.
- Fewer Sick Days: Mental health is tied to physical health. Poor mental health can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other issues. Employers that promote positive mental health in the workplace will have fewer employees taking sick days which costs companies time and money. A Kaiser Permanente study revealed sick days can cost businesses $2945 a year per employee.
- Increased Loyalty: Employees who are happy with their work environment will be more likely to stick with their companies long term. Businesses will deal with less turnover and promote healthy relationships with their existing task force.
- Better Customer Interactions: As a business, your customers are your top priority. Employees offer better service to customers when they are not feeling stressed or depressed. They will help your business thrive.
How Can CEOs Promote Better Mental Health in the Workplace?
Promote a Work-Life Balance
Overworked employees can become stressed and burned out leading to increased errors and a general dissatisfaction with the workplace. Employers can promote a work-life balance with remote work opportunities. Working remotely allows employees to create a flexible schedule so they can tend to work needs and family needs.
Employers can also help workers promote a work-life balance by offering sick days and paid time off. They can encourage employees to use their vacation time. They can lead by example showing workers the many ways they focus on family while keeping business matters under control.
Communicate with Employees
CEOs should monitor their workforce environment to identify signs of poor mental health among workers. They should notice when employees seem withdrawn or upset at work. They may also see inconsistencies in work quality that could be a sign that an employee is having a difficult time.
Employers should not immediately admonish workers for variances in work output. Rather, they should invite employees to communicate with them. They should ask them if they want to discuss the source of stress and offer a helping hand if possible.
Encourage Healthy Breaks
Leaders should encourage healthy breaks throughout the workday. They should normalize workers taking fifteen minutes to meditate or take a walk around the block. They should understand that workers often come back from these breaks feeling less stressed and more productive.
Employers can take it a step further by offering stress-relieving break room environments. They may equip break rooms with workout facilities or meditation spaces. Workers will enjoy stepping into these rooms during the day to relieve daily stress.
Offer Resources
CEOs should have an open-door policy when it comes to mental health needs, but they may be unable to address various issues workers are dealing with. To this end, they may offer additional resources that can be accessed outside the office. They may recommend community and personal mental health services.
Employers can make employees aware of mental health resources in various ways. They can send emails to workers, hang fliers in the office, or make one-on-one references. Workers may be grateful that their superiors are providing the guidance they require.
In Office Childcare
Workers with young children often strive to maintain a work-life balance. They struggle to keep their child happy while handling important work matters. They may experience stress levels that interfere with their ability to work.
Many offices address this problem with in-office childcare. Parents can bring preschool-age students to work with them and have them supervised by qualified adults. These systems relieve anxiety and reduce worker’s financial burden of having to hire a sitter to care for their children during work hours.
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