According to WHO in 2019, 15% of working-age adults were estimated to have a mental disorder. And globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety. A healthy work situation can reduce those numbers, increase productivity, improve performance and (most importantly) offer people a better everyday life, contributing positively to mental health at work.
All people deserve the highest possible standard of mental health. Today, the 10:th of October, we pay attention to World Mental Health Day and bring a few dos and don’ts for employers, to promote mental health and care for people in your workplace, ensuring mental health at work is a priority.
Safe and healthy workplaces
Decent work is good for mental health, and decent work does not only mean a livelihood, but also (and importantly) a sense of confidence, purpose and achievement, and an opportunity for positive relationships.
You, as an employer, have a responsibility to uphold people’s right to the highest attainable standard of mental health at work. A responsibility that can appear challenging, but should not be seen as onerous. Rather, it’s an opportunity for growth and sustainable development. In fact, safe and healthy workplaces are likely to reduce absence, improve performance and productivity, boost morale and motivation, and minimize conflicts.
According to WHO, risks to mental health at work can include:
- Under-use of skills or being under-skilled for work.
- Long, unsocial or inflexible hours.
- Lack of control over job design or workload.
- Organizational culture that enables negative behaviors.
- Unclear job role.
- Job insecurity, inadequate pay, or poor investment in career development.
- Conflicting home/work demands, which can severely impact mental health at work.
6 ways to enable mental health
The risk factors above highlight the great importance of ensuring an optimal cultural- and knowledge fit, offering freedom and flexibility, enabling self leadership and always having trust in your employees and co-workers.
It’s your responsibility to prevent risks, to protect, promote and support mental health at work. To create an enabling environment for change and to take action with meaningful involvement of employees. Here’s a few takes on how.
1. Set a great example
If we are to do the best possible job of looking after our people, we need to look after ourselves first. Improve your own mental health. Take time off when needed, communicate openly, listen actively and set off time for self-care activities, or for doing nothing at all, thereby fostering mental health at work.
2. Offer mental training
Train people to recognize and respond to emotional distress and help them build interpersonal skills like open communication and active listening. Foster a better understanding of how stress and other job factors can affect mental health at work, and how it can be managed. Call for building knowledge and awareness, offer coaching and facilitate conversation.
3. Prioritize work-life balance
Take proactive steps to keep peoples’ balance healthy. Ensure people are getting the time off that they need, offer flexibility and the responsibility to lead themselves. Count productivity – rather than hours, encourage breaks, review workload and get to know people and their individual needs to ensure they maintain good mental health at work.
4. Start a gratitude culture
Studies of gratitude at work link it to less stress, decreased absenteeism, and higher satisfaction with our jobs and coworkers. Start a gratitude practice by implementing a weekly win talk, or a daily chat channel to write down what has gone well and why. Show people that you’re grateful and never forget to give praise for good work, which supports mental health at work.
5. Bring some humor out to play
Laughter is the best medicine. For real. Laughing gives benefits like stimulating organs, enhancing oxygen intake, increasing endorphins, strengthening immune system, relieving pain and improving the general mood. Don’t let the humor get lost in your important visions and missions, as it plays a significant role in fostering mental health at work.
6. Prioritize development and learning
We easily feel depressed or anxious when we’re not challenged. Learning new skills improves mental health at work, builds a sense of purpose, raises self-esteem, and boosts self-confidence. Encourage learning by offering courses and certifications. Facilitate group discussions and knowledge sharing.
Conclusion
Many are struggling with their mental health and work can be a protective factor for people, but it can also contribute to worsening mental health conditions. It is your responsibility as an employer to make sure you offer the best possible conditions for people to thrive and support mental health at work.
Every person and every team is different – so no magic recipe will quickly do the trick. It’s up to you to get to know the people and ensure you’re offering a safe and supportive environment where they feel heard and motivated, by eliminating risks like long hours, lack of control, insecurity and inflicting home/work demands, while enabling opportunities like learning, balance, clarity and healthy relationships. This will ultimately support mental health at work.
