We have started to take note of the many important factors that affect our mental health in the workplace. The biggest issue is that most managers are looking to increase performance and productivity, but they fail to consider the mental health of their workforce.
This is a serious concern that needs to be addressed in order to ensure the best outcome in any work environment.
Leadership Training Needs to Give more Emphasis to Mental Health at work
This is one of the things that are usually most difficult to handle and it is a very important aspect of leadership. A great leader is not just one that motivates and encourages, it is also one that shows empathy and understands emotions.
It has been proven that a leader that shows consideration for the workforce will obtain much better results. This can be something as simple as taking the time to listen to employee concerns or something as complex as identifying when a worker is dealing with stress due to personal reasons.
Tips to Enhance the Quality of the Work Environment for Mental Health
If you start to show more concern for the mental health of your workforce, you will start to see results fast. It is easy to see when a workforce is working with focus and enthusiasm when their mental health is always considered.
The following are some valuable tips that are going to help you stay on top of any concerns within your workforce.
• Tip 1 – Create a check-in culture
You would be surprised to know that something as simple as a “how are you” and a series of quick questions can be very revealing. When you take the time to check in with your employees at least once a week, you are going to start to develop a relationship of trust.
• Tip 2 – Set an example for mental health
Let your employees know that you are also doing all that you can to take care of your health. This is going to be super important if you want to achieve the best results with your efforts. Encourage employees to exercise, monitor their vitals with smart devices, eat healthily, etc.
• Tip 3 – Be open about your own struggles
If you are a leader that has no issues letting people know the struggles of your personal life, you are a great leader. This is going to prove to be an amazing way for you to achieve the results you want.
• Tip 4 – Offer efficient support to a struggling employee
If an employee shows signs of struggling or is vocal about it, you need to make sure that you take the time to offer support. Find the right kind of assistance for that person and ensure that they can deal with their problems efficiently. This can be done by involving a counselor that can help the employee overcome the problem.
• Tip 5 – Conduct surveys that relate to mental health
A good way to test the overall mood and morale in your office is to conduct surveys that ask questions related to mental health. A good example is to ask people to answer a questionnaire anonymously. This could include questions about how they feel they are treated at work.
Final thoughts
The world is a place that is changing faster than ever before and this means that we need to ensure the best outcome. There are too many issues happening right now and people are stressed and anxious. This means that it is essential for leaders to make sure that their workers are able to maintain an optimal level of mental health.
At HR Expertise, our HR health check service and training support the delivery of well-being initiative and leadership coaching. Contact us today, we would love to work with you.
Cedric has 13+ years of demonstrated experience as a senior HR generalist with a broad commercial and project-driven background within leading global organisations across a range of industries. He is qualified with an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business (AIB), an Advanced Diploma of Management specialising in Human Resources and an HR Consulting – Business Partnering course from the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).