Once what was taboo is now becoming one of the most important protocols in any work environment. Soon people understood the high time we ignored the importance of good mental health. The reasons why many corporate are working towards building a strong workplace mental health strategy are two-fold:
- To ensure work stress is not escalating any mental health issue an employee is already dealing with. For example, OCD, ADHD, burnout, or substance recovery withdrawal.
- Good mental health is the biggest weapon of great work. Corporations are realizing that if they want good work, it cannot be the product of excessive stress.
If your new policy places considerable importance on employees’ mental health, and you are looking for a good workplace mental health strategy, then you have reached the right place.
In this excerpt below, we will discuss some of the best workplace mental health practices that can encourage your employees to work on themselves and give their 100%.
The Best Workplace Mental Health Strategy
Without any further ado, let’s get into the best workplace mental health strategies best for your employees and your work.
1. Discourage Office Politics
We all understand that this is not an academic institution where you can set up an anti-gossiping disciplinary body. However, being the boss, you can always discourage such a notion. Generally, employees who indulge in such gossip are trying to tarnish someone’s reputation in front of senior employees.
Probably because they themselves hold no power to make careerist decisions for anyone; however, if you or other senior members show utter dislike towards such activities, people will stop indulging in such activities within the office ground. After all, they also have a reputation for keeping things intact.
The targeted employee in an office gossip goes through extreme mental turmoil. It is also one of the leading causes of resignations. You wouldn’t want to lose a good employee under such circumstances.
2. Have An Organizational Therapist
Under the BACP ethical framework for counseling, any organization therapist has taken an oath of secrecy for patients. Sometimes even if you have an HR body, it is difficult for employees to believe that their workplace problems or complaints won’t reach the boss.
However, when you have an organizational therapist, the secrecy oath can encourage employees to go talk to them. Whether it is a workplace issue or any other personal trouble, the therapist can help them without the seniors having to know anything. In many states, having an organizational therapist as a part of workplace mental health strategy is even becoming compulsory.
When employees know they have a therapist onboard and they are not being charged for a session, they will automatically be at ease. Knowing that in terms of any mental tick troubling them, they have a professional on-house to take suggestions from.
It is even good for people suffering from substance abuse and going through withdrawal. They do not have to take days off from their sick leaves to visit the therapist when they can carry on with their CBT in the office in total secrecy.
3. Add Recreation Room
The environment plays a major role in exuding motivation toward work. Thus, adding a good environment to the workplace’s mental health strategy is inevitable. From juggling projects and deadlines, employees often forget to take breaks. Plus, since this hampers workflow, they are less likely to go outside every hour to take a walk.
This is why having a recreation room within the premises can be of great assistance.
- It can encourage people to take recreational breaks within work since they wouldn’t be wasting too much time for the proximity.
- Plus, it can prevent employees from taking smoke breaks as recreation. Especially the ones who are dealing with nicotine withdrawal and trying to quit.
How To Introduce These Workplace Mental Health Strategies.
Here is how you can introduce these workplace mental health strategies to your employees.
- Add them to your company policies to let them know you are serious about taking care of their mental health.
- Make sure you take a day out and call for a town-hall meeting to discuss these policies. Taking their input is also important.
- If required, call for mental health professionals to help explain this workplace mental health strategy better,