Is Mental Health a Priority in Your Workplace?

Is mental health a priority in your workplace? Over 300 million people suffer from depression around the world, making mental health one of the most important but least discussed workplace topics. Depression is also a leading cause of disability and can have a negative impact on your employees’ morale and productivity.

To keep workers happy and healthy, employers need to understand how company policies and procedures can have a direct impact on mental health. Here are some factors that can pose a threat to your employees’ emotional well-being:

Ineffective health and safety policies
Poor communication and management practices
Limited input on key workplace changes
Limited employee support
Inflexible working hours
Unclear tasks or organizational objectives

Although it can be hard to improve something as intangible as mental health, here are some activities that employers can try:

Invite local, qualified mental health experts to speak at your workplace to cover topics like nutrition, fitness and managing stress.
Sponsor employees and allow them to take part in things like charity events and fitness campaigns.
Encourage employees to form a wellness committee.

For more ideas for mental health initiatives in the workplace, click here. For ways that HR can support employees’ mental health, click here.

There may be situations where your business isn’t equipped to address serious mental health concerns. In these instances, it’s important to seek the help of licensed mental health professionals.