8 Things Business Owners Can Do To Make Mental Health a Priority in the Workplace
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People are more willing now than ever to be transparent about their experiences with mental health and ask for help. There are also more resources for support available now than there were 10 years ago.
Even people in high positions at major corporations are speaking up about their struggles with mental health, which is a huge step forward to help normalize tending to your mental health. This movement towards more transparency and care for mental health is incredibly powerful, and it’s one that businesses of any size need to get on board with immediately.
“Generally speaking, companies still have a long way to go when it comes to fully prioritizing employees’ mental health and well-being,” offers Justin Soleimani, Co-Founder of Tumble. “Just taking small steps to show teams that their well-being matters can make a world of difference. It can improve morale, strengthen relationships and even boost creativity. A happy employee is an inspired employee.”
If you’re ready to commit to prioritizing mental health for yourself and your colleagues, here are a few ways to get the ball rolling:
1. Reframe Your Communication Approach
When work gets busy, it can be easy to focus on that stress and forget that the foundation of the business is the humans who are keeping it going. The next time an issue arises with a coworker, refrain from approaching them with frustration or blame. Instead, lead with compassion. Let them know that you’ve noticed a shift and that you’d like to know if they need any support or if there’s any way you can help them. You don’t need to pry – simply leading with kindness can make all the difference.
“There’s a cliche that states that everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about,” says Patricio Paucar, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer of Navi. “Just because someone is usually a superstar in the boardroom, that doesn’t mean they’re not dealing with really challenging things in their personal lives. Leading with a mindset of wanting to support people rather than berating them for their workplace failures is always the best approach, no matter how stressed or frustrated their teammates may feel.”
Compassion is key as a leader — don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
2. Include Mental Health Coverage in Your Plans
If your company is in a place where you’re able to offer health benefits to your employees, you should absolutely be sure to select plans that include psychiatric care and other types of mental health coverage.
“The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act mandates that insurance coverage for mental health conditions isn’t any more restrictive than coverage for non-mental health conditions,” says Trina Johnson, CEO of Blue Forest Farms. “That’s great news – but it’s still important for companies to make sure their plans have plenty of in-network providers and (ideally) provide an HSA.”
Money can be a huge barrier to caring for people – if companies can remove that barrier, they could save someone’s life.
3. Promote Well-Being in Your Schedule
If you want to make a change in your workplace, you need to embody that change yourself. In the context of mental health, this means taking strides to cultivate a culture that prioritizes wellness and puts mental health above all.
“Practical ways to promote mental health in the office can mean mandating breaks throughout the day, taking a moment of gratitude or meditation before meetings, offering free meditation or yoga classes, or even organizing company hikes or outings,” says Soji James, Lead Expert Certified personal trainer at 1AND1. “Anything to show employees that their happiness and wellness matter.”
As a leader, show people you prioritize mental health by logging off at a certain time each day, inviting people to spend time outside, or putting your therapy appointments on your calendar to show transparency.
4. Celebrate Everyone
If a team member feels unseen or undervalued, that’s likely to impact their mental health — even if it’s completely unintentional. Taking steps to make sure people feel valued and celebrated for who they are is critical to ensuring mental health across your company.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is no small task. However, taking steps to make everyone feel included in big and small ways is so important when caring for employees,” advises Dr. Michael Green, Chief Medical Officer of Winona. “This not only applies to a person’s cultural, sexual or gender identity – it also includes their talents and hobbies outside of work.”
It all comes down to whether your employees feel like they can show up as their complete selves in the workplace. If they feel like they have to hide a part of who they are, their mental health will inherently be impacted. Allow people to feel safe, seen, and celebrated.
5. Talk Openly About Mental Health
When someone comes into work with an injury or illness, it’s highly likely they’ll talk about what happened and what they need in order to recover. So, why is it scarier to talk like this about mental health?
“If someone comes to work feeling especially anxious or depressed, they should feel like they have the space to be transparent about what they need in order to work through that – if they feel comfortable to share,” explains Brianna Bitton, Co-Founder of O Positiv. “One way leaders can encourage this is by being transparent about their own mental health needs or even struggles.”
Being honest about the fact that you’re in therapy, are feeling burnt out, or struggle with anxiety during meetings can help other people feel safe to open up about the same things. You may even be surprised at the amount of support and resources people are willing to share.
6. Encourage People To Share What They Need
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You might be surprised at the number of employees in your company who have some ideas of what they need in order to feel more mentally and emotionally supported at work but are too afraid to ask.
“If an employee feels like they’re sacrificing their mental health because of the stress of their work, their supervisor should make them feel safe to ask for an altered schedule, a slightly new role or extra support,” says Max Schwartzapfel, CMO of Fighting For You.
Leadership needs to work with their employees to create spaces and systems that support them. There’s almost always a solution, and making an employee feel like their needs are heard is of the utmost importance.
7. Implement Training and Learning Programs
Mental health conditions can be extremely subtle. That’s why it’s vital for managers and colleagues to be aware of the minor signs that someone may be struggling with their mental health. This will ensure people are more equipped to offer support when needed — not when it’s too late.
“It’s especially important for people in positions of leadership to educate themselves on mental health so they can better understand what changes can be made to support it in the workplace,” says Miles Beckett, Co-Founder and CEO of Flossy. “Education can save a life.”
Whether it’s through a company-wide training program, a program just for management, or individual studies, let the professionals lend their expertise. Mental health takes more than a simple Google search to understand, and it’s too delicate to be left to trial and error.
8. Offer Accommodations and Ongoing Support
Just like companies offer accommodations for employees experiencing physical health conditions, mental health should be treated the same way. Work with your HR department to create options for employees who may need an altered schedule or experience in order to accommodate their mental health care.
“Working environments need to be adaptable for those who are experiencing mental health conditions,” says Ryan Rottman, Co-Founder and CEO of OSDB. “Sometimes this may look like a full return-to-work program that’s created with clinical partnership, or it may simply look like less hours, longer deadlines, or fewer meetings. Meet them where they actually are, not where you think they are.”
Mental healthcare is healthcare. It may sound and seem obvious, but too many companies treat it like an afterthought. If all of your employees can access mental health resources — even those that might not be experiencing mental health struggles at the current moment — it can improve morale (and productivity!) across the board.
Mental Health Is Precious
When it comes down to it, mental health is just as important as physical health, but many companies are still failing to treat it that way. You can make strides to dismantle this pattern in your own company by being transparent about mental health and implementing genuine resources for people to feel seen, supported and nurtured in the workplace and beyond.
“As human beings, all we really want at the end of the day is to feel like our needs are met and like we have a community around us who genuinely wants us to thrive,” says Asker A Ahmed, Director of iProcess Global Research.
Caring for our mental health in a world that glorifies hard work is tough, but the right resources can save a lot of struggle.
McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
