MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. HOW CAN YOU TAKE THIS TIME TO CHECK ON YOUR EMPLOYEES?
Every year, during the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month is focused on raising awareness of mental health issues, concerns, limitations, and treatments. It is a 31-day commitment to understanding, having authentic conversations, and sharing how these topics touch us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mental Health Awareness Month lasts the entire month of May.
As an employer this is the perfect opportunity for you to highlight the importance of mental health amongst your employees. Here are some ways that you can check on the mental health of your employees during Mental Health Awareness Month:
1. Go for lunch as a team.
It is an age-old team-building practice to have food as a group. Get everyone out of the workplace for some lighthearted banter that isn’t about deals or deadlines. These inexpensive outings could be a valuable monthly or weekly addition to your wellbeing routine. Team lunches foster togetherness, and those friendships contribute to our general happiness. Working with friends is generally preferred over working alone.
2. Conduct a mental health awareness workshop.
It is possible that some of your employees have never had a talk regarding mental health. Since they don’t know much about the topic, many people struggle with thoughts or feelings they can’t express. An awareness workshop can help your staff learn new things and address questions they didn’t know they had. Power comes from knowledge. Educating your staff is the first step toward assisting them in identifying any potential mental health difficulties they may be experiencing on their own or within their family dynamics.
3. Organize a meditation class.
Allowing for some calm time in the midst of the daily turmoil can be a game-changer. When things get rough, meditation gives balance and stabilizes emotions, so your stressors aren’t as severe as they may be. A few minutes every day can provide hours of mental health advantages. Workplace meditation programmes boost employee moods, reduce stress, and increase job satisfaction. Group sessions improve coworker collaboration and foster stronger working connections.
4. Arrange a field day or a team-building activity outside.
Get everyone out of the office and involved in something enjoyable such as taking a hike. In the end, everyone benefits from building trust and developing bonds among your team. Given the number of hours spent together, being with individuals we trust and feel supported by is more fun and less stressful. This can help with mental wellness at work because team-building activities help coworkers form stronger friendships and foster healthy cross-functional relationships.
5. Establish a no-contact period after work.
Decompression is sometimes neglected and underestimated. Even better than happy hour, having 10–15 minutes of peaceful, uninterrupted time after work might be a cathartic recharge. No phone. There are no alerts. No distractions. Spend this time listening to music, meditating, reading, or doing anything else that relaxes your mind and soul. We often believe that we are “too busy” to take a break. But, on occasion, small pauses are exactly what’s needed to assist digest the day so that the next day isn’t as hazy.
6. Demonstrate healthy behavior.
Don’t merely state that you believe in mental health. Model it for your coworkers so they feel comfortable prioritizing self-care and setting boundaries. Managers are frequently so focused on their team’s well-being and completing tasks that they neglect to look after themselves. To avoid burnout, mention that you’re going for a stroll in the middle of the day, have a therapy appointment, or are planning a staycation.
7. Be accommodating and inclusive.
Expect things to alter as the scenario, your team’s demands, and your own needs evolve. Regularly check in, especially around transition moments. Only by understanding what’s going on can you help fix any problems that arise. These discussions will also provide an opportunity to reinforce mental health norms and behaviours. Inclusive flexibility is about proactive communication and norm-setting that assists people in creating and maintaining the boundaries they require.
Take a tailored approach to dealing with concerns like childcare issues or the desire to work all the time. Offer flexibility proactively. Give as much as you can while remaining realistic. Being flexible does not always imply compromising your standards. In the midst of the ongoing uncertainty, flexibility can help your team thrive. Highlight how you’ve adjusted your personal behaviour to normalize and demonstrate this new flexibility. Encourage team members to be patient and understanding while they adjust. Believe in them and hope for the best. They rely on you, and they’ll remember how you handled them during this period.
8. Communicate more than you think you need to.
Employees who thought their bosses were bad at communicating are more likely than others to have mental health problems. Ensure that your staff is kept up to date on any organizational changes or modifications. Make sure any changes to work hours and norms are made explicit. Set expectations regarding workloads, prioritize what must be completed, and acknowledge what can be delegated if required to reduce stress.Keep your employees informed about the mental health resources that are available to them and encourage them to use it. If you’ve already shared them, do so again. Also, be aware that embarrassment and stigma inhibit many employees from seeking therapy through their mental health benefits, therefore mainstream their use. Although managers will be on the front lines of dealing with mental health concerns, your company’s most senior leaders must also take action.
The most important thing to remember is that the productivity of a workplace is highly dependent on the mental health of its employees. It is therefore necessary for every employer to take time out of their schedules to ensure that their employees are in a good place mentally, which will in turn produce better quality of work and a better work environment as a whole.
- Pravin Chandan
Reach the Pravin Chandan Team for marketing advice & how-tos.
