An organization’s growth and success heavily rely on its employees, which means that taking care of them should be a top priority. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it's an important time for employers to think about how they support the well-being of their employees.
For those that may need to enhance their strategy, here are a few suggestions:
1. Create a Supportive Culture
Creating a supportive office culture can be a great first step in helping improve employee well-being. Work with a human resources (HR) professional to normalize prioritizing mental health within the workplace. If there is no stigma associated with asking for help, employees may be more likely to do so.
2. Prioritize Mental Health Training
Providing training for managers and supervisors on how best to support employee mental well-being, particularly for anyone who may be struggling, can also improve upon any efforts to create a supportive office culture.
3. Introduce Wellness Initiatives
Introducing wellness initiatives into the workplace can also be a great way to include mental health and health awareness within your office culture. For example, a member of your human resources (HR) team could bring in providers to teach yoga or meditation classes as a team-building event.
4. Enhance Your Employee Benefits
Business owners can ease personal stresses by providing affordable, robust employee health benefits and financial wellness offerings. The designated insurance provider may offer free resources that could assist with mental health. You may also consider an employee assistance program (EAP), which includes counseling services and other benefits.
5. Recognize the Signs of Burnout
No matter how much you do to promote their well-being, employees may still become overwhelmed in the workplace. To help, you can make sure that employees are actually taking their vacation time and are given the opportunity to use flex time to attend doctor's appointments or family-related events. Many employers are also embracing remote/hybrid work as a way to reduce burnout.
It's Time to Start Paying Attention to Employee Mental Health
For employers, every month should be a month to highlight mental health awareness. Now is the perfect time to start demonstrating to your employees that their mental well-being is important.
SynchronyHR, a human resources outsourcing organization, recognizes the importance of employee health and wellness. Contact us today if you are looking to provide your employees with corporate-style employee benefits for small businesses, or need assistance in implementing or updating trainings and wellness initiatives.