Workplace Mental Health

Do You Want To Create A Workplace That Supports Mental Health?

Do employees have access to resources that help them with mental health challenges?  Does company leadership create an environment where employees see mental health as important?  Is the human resources department aware of the current trends in workplace mental health?  There are many different things to consider when building an environment where employees feel mental health is a top priority.

Whether your company has 50,000 employees or 25 employees, it’s important to consider what the company environment is promoting.  Do employees feel they can come to management or human resources when experiencing a mental health challenge?  Do employees have time from work to connect with the things that help them to decrease their stress and increase their energy?  With all of these different things to reflect on, it can seem hard to figure out where to start.

Many Workplaces Are Being Impacted By Mental Health

In one study from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that 80% of adults with depression reported at least some difficulty with work, home, or social activities.  Depression is only one mental health challenge that is impacting employees and workplaces.  Anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficient disorder, grief, and difficulty transitioning to new life or career roles are other mental health conditions that are greatly impacting the culture, morale, and productivity of an organization. It doesn’t have to be a diagnosable mental health condition to have a negative influence on the workplace.  Stress and burn out are contributing factors that are having a major impact on employee performance and well-being.

Mental health challenges in the workplace can come from a variety of factors.  A common factor is a toxic work environment.  Do employees feel they are being treated unfairly, bullied, harassed, or excluded?  Are employees afraid of discussing mental health challenges with co-workers or a boss because of the stigma attached to mental illness?  Many times people are afraid to disclose a mental health diagnosis for fear of losing their job, not getting promoted, damaging relationships, and fear of future employers finding out.  If employees aren’t finding their jobs meaningful or purposeful, this can cause feelings of low self-esteem and unworthiness.  Having organizations and human resource departments not aware of how mental health challenges can impact the workplace can lead to a lack of policies that support mental health or provide inadequate training to company leadership.

Workplace Mental Health Consulting Can Help Create An Environment That Supports Mental Health

Employers may question how much mental health challenges are really impacting the workplace. The National Alliance of Mental Illness estimates that employers have $100 billion in mental health-related costs each year and 217 million lost workdays. When mental health challenges are supported in the workplace, employers can increase productivity and employee retention.

It’s important for employers to help employees when they are struggling with a mental health condition. When I work with employers to help create an atmosphere that supports mental health, we collaborate on a variety of levels. First, we look at what changes the organization wants to make and what I feel would be beneficial. Factors that are considered are current policies and training, organizational culture, employee resources and benefits, and employee engagement.

Every employer is different in terms of size, company culture, leadership style, location, and goals. Sometimes employers want a complete overhaul of how they support mental health while other employers already have some great systems in place and only want some minor tweaks.  When I work with employers, my consulting approach is always unique and creative to find ways for organizations to support mental health.

With over 20 years in human resource, education, and mental health settings, I bring a unique perspective to helping employers endorse mental health in the workplace. By employers providing the resources and environment to encourage well-being and employee satisfaction, this helps create the foundation for simple and effective solutions for employees to blossom.

Are you ready to help create a workplace that employees can thrive in and management can be responsive to mental health challenges? Contact me today for a free phone consultation.  You can ask me any questions you may have about my workplace mental health consulting practice.