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As an employer or manager, you can promote better mental health in your workplace by modeling healthy behaviors, breaking down barriers, and adjusting your onboarding materials to ensure that everyone buys into a culture of check-ins and inclusivity.
Workplace Support for Mental Illness
A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that work culture and leadership support are integral to the overall success of a business and the well-being of its employees.
Researchers showed that culture “is often overlooked,” but can improve the “awareness, utilization, and impact of programming efforts to build a mentally healthy workforce.” Similarly, researchers advocated for “consistent and open leadership,” which helps destigmatize mental health issues.
As an employer, you need to tailor your approach to mental health in the workplace and should strive to model best practices at all times. Aim to demonstrate supportive supervision of someone with mental illness by:
- Respecting their boundaries
- Listening to their concerns
- Ensuring their needs are met
- Helping them with tasks when needed
- Being patient when they need space
Working for a supportive, understanding employer can make a world of difference to employees who live with a mental illness. You can further support these employees by actively dismantling the barriers that many employees face when trying to access care and support.
Dismantling Barriers
Most workplaces have an array of benefits and supportive resources available to all employees. However, as any employer knows, actually convincing employees to make use of resources can be a real struggle.
Unfortunately, many employees face significant barriers that prevent them from getting the help they need. As an employer, you can help bridge the gap in mental health services for employees by ensuring that your disability insurance is robust and covers all manner of mental health-related issues.
Additionally, you need to ensure that folks are given the time and resources they need to attend therapy and/or see a medical professional. Simply put, your employees will not pursue support if they think it will undermine their ability to succeed at work. Alleviate these concerns by adjusting your employee’s monthly key performance indicators (KPIs) and budget for extra support like travel expenses and paid time off.
Policy Change and Onboarding Materials
Your company-wide policies need to reflect your commitment to mental health in the workplace. Without a clear policy in place, managers and staff can ignore calls to improve mental well-being and safety in the workplace.
Start with a robust onboarding policy to ensure that all new hires are aware of the resources available to them. Safely onboard employees by addressing expectations and foregrounding the need for open, private communication about sensitive matters. Make emergency information easily accessible so employees know exactly what to do if they suffer from an acute issue and outline the procedures in place to support employees who have a mental health condition.
As an employer, make sure you support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies at work. DEI policies ensure that everyone has equitable access to care and can help close the disability healthcare gap. Follow up on these commitments by funding initiatives that improve safety, increase engagement, and give employees access to the resources they need to feel supported at work.
Conclusion
Mental health is a hot topic in industries across the globe. As an employer, you can do your part by modeling perfect behavior and funding initiatives that help staff feel supported. Follow up on policy changes by funding programs that dismantle barriers to participation and increase equitable access to staff benefits.
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