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It is hard to stop and look after our mental health with life being so busy, especially in a fast-paced business environment. However, it is essential to look after your employees holistically as well as physically, and mental health should become a priority for all businesses, big and small. It is actually estimated that mental illness and substance abuse issues cost employers between $79 and $105 billion a year. These tips aim to create four different techniques you can incorporate to ensure you are looking out for your employees.
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1) Encourage Openness
It can be difficult for many people to talk about their mental health due to the stigma placed on those with mental health issues. Employees may fear that if they reveal themselves to be struggling in any way, it can be seen as weakness or lead to them being ostracized, or worse, fired. This makes open communication a vital thing to encourage in the workplace. Ensure your employees feel comfortable discussing any problems by building strong interpersonal relationships on your team. In addition to this, it is worth taking a tiny bit of time with your team to educate them on how to spot warning signs in each other so that everyone can look out for each other. Finally, try to remove any shame by letting employees know that their job will not be threatened should they be struggling- this will make them feel more accepted should a situation like this arise.
2) Practice Mindfulness
The following technique is to practice mindfulness in the office. Try to push employees not to eat lunch at their desks or go on walks on their breaks. This will help your employees step away from work for a much-needed break in the day and will lower their stress levels immensely. Try to lighten their work-load by outsourcing time-wasting procedures to companies that specialize in fields like website design, data or mail tagging. Invest in workshops in the office where employees can gain insight into different techniques to help them manage stress, such as breathing and meditation. There are plenty of ways to encourage your employees to be mindful, and by giving them the tools to help look after their mental wellbeing, you will be making your business a much more fruitful and productive place to work.
3) Promote A Healthy Work/Life Balance
Although it may feel natural to reward behavior like coming into the office early and leaving late, this can easily promote a toxic office culture. Instead, employers should be encouraging employees to have a healthy work/life balance and leave the office on time as it helps them in the long run. Employees feel less stressed when they have a chance to let their hair down and come into the office feeling rejuvenated after a restful evening instead of run-down because they stayed late the night before. The best employees are those who engage in their favorite hobbies, spend time with their friends and families, and don’t spend their whole life at work, as they become more productive.
