Over the last couple of years, we have seen a very welcome breach of topics regarding mental health into the mainstream. And, much like all other important social developments do, this honesty, openness, and more compassionate worldview also made their impact on the business landscape.
These days, mental wellbeing is on its way to being treated the same way as physical ailments and a growing number of companies are realizing that, if they want to keep their workforce, sharp, happy, and productive, they need to provide them with the environment where they can thrive on a mental and emotional level.
Well, don’t miss the chance to become a part of this important movement and deprive your brand of all its beneficial results. Here are a couple of tips to get you started.
Create a more supportive work atmosphere
Office spaces, as we’ve seen in numerous movies and TV shows, can be very toxic environments. Your goal is to cut this atmosphere at the root. So, encourage your employees to openly discuss the issues related to the company as well as their feelings and opinions without the fear of scolding. As for you, learn to be patient and provide feedback in a constructive and gentle manner. This way your employees won’t push the problems under the rug. If you need to deal with interpersonal problems, be an honest mediator. In other words, do everything in your power to bring the tensions down.
Make your offices more stimulating and nourishing
Most people do their best to maintain healthy and happy lifestyles. There is no reason why they shouldn’t be allowed to practice these very same habits at their workplace. So, if your employees enjoy workouts, set them up in a small gym where they can quickly blow off some steam and get their dopamine levels in check. Open office layouts and social hubs will allow them to satisfy their social needs and engage in impromptu brainstorming sessions. Healthy meals always present a better option than the stock fast food. The opportunities for catering to these small needs are truly endless.
Provide professional mental health support
Your ability to provide personal support is more than welcome but it shouldn’t serve as a substitute for professional help. So, don’t treat mental health issues and emotional problems lightly, and make sure your staff has access to comprehensive private health insurance that allows them to get help without delays or legal obstacles. If you want to go a step further you can invite professional educators to hold a couple of seminars that will help your team members to identify their problems or take notice of struggling co-workers. The sooner these issues are noticed, the easier to solve they are.
Allow your employees to strike a better work-life balance
Spending quality time with friends, engaging in hobbies and favorite pastime activities, or simply enjoying family life are absolutely critical for one person’s emotional and mental wellbeing. So, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that as many as 63% of Americans claim they would prefer a better work-life balance over a pay increase. So, you have to give people what they want. Flexible work schedules, telecommuting options, and extra days off as a reward for excellent work performance can all serve as excellent resources to save your most valuable workers from dangerous burnout.
Provide opportunities for personal and professional development
Nobody likes the sense of stagnation. And, going every day to the very same workplace without ever making a single step forward can incite these exact feelings. Make sure, then, that your company adds something of value to your workers’ lives. For instance, you can give your staff a greater sense of ownership over the brand and outline the career path forward with attainable milestones. Or you can support them to develop on a more personal level. For instance, you can reward hard workers with paid courses of their choice. But, you need to make sure they are making some kind of positive change.
Encourage a sense of social belonging
Last but not least, your staff members will be able to thrive only if they feel they are a part of the group and find strength in their co-workers. A stronger sense of camaraderie will also give birth to a stronger sense of understanding and empathy and relieve a lot of interpersonal problems we have mentioned above. The solution to this problem can be found in traditional team-building activities and organizing family events like parties and vacations. Spending more time with employees and encouraging the managers to do the same and share their struggles can only help you along the way.
Wrapping-up
So, these were the top six ways to make your workplace more inclusive, stress-free, and, overall, more nourishing for your workers. Mental health has long been pushed aside and sacrificed for some fall sense of discipline and workout. However, we had an opportunity to see time and time again that people are most productive when they are happy, feel appreciated, and are allowed to handle the workload on their own terms. Do your best then to follow these simple principles and give your employees all the things they need to thrive and see your company as their home.
