Do you know how important workplace mental health training is in these trying times?
Concerns about employee mental health are at an all-time high – 90% of employees worry about burnout. This is hardly a surprise to most HR specialists as they observed how bad employee mental health affects the workplace since the implementation of COVID-19. The cost of employee mental health disorders is too expensive to ignore, given the increased rates of turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism. For HR, initiatives on mental health workshops improve corporate health and lower the costs related to underwhelming employee wellbeing.
Employee stressors can be addressed through workplace mental health training before they have an adverse effect on the morale of your business, your employees’ general well-being and level of happiness, and your bottom line. Here are the advantages of workplace mental health training if your company is interested in promoting employee wellbeing
Decreases Stigma
When businesses embrace mental health training programs, stress, depression, and anxiety become more commonplace. Employees are less likely to suffer in silence if stigmas surrounding mental health are reduced by organisations. It’s crucial to focus on the entire person and make the connection between psychological and physical health. Employees’ feelings of shame while they are struggling can be diminished by teaching them how to manage their well-being. Employees are also less likely to withdraw or lose interest in their work when they feel at ease discussing their well-being there.
Programs for workplace mental health education should also lessen the stigma associated with requesting assistance. Employees are more likely to seek assistance when they are in need or are about to enter a crisis if they are aware of the available benefits and encouraged to use them. These initiatives can dispel stigma and dispel ambiguity regarding in-network therapy choices and EAPs.
Enhances Performance and Productivity of Employees
Stress, worry, and other mental health issues can be distracting and take over your life. Employees who are struggling with their mental health are unable to function at their usual levels of productivity. Additionally, it makes sense that a lot of people try to decrease their stress by abusing drugs or eating poorly. Their job performance will be affected over time, and this can have a big effect on the general morale and financial health of an organisation. For instance, according to the World Health Organisation, lost productivity from mental health issues costs the world economy $1 trillion annually.
The majority of HR teams believe that an EAP alone may mitigate the effects of poor employee mental health. That’s not the case, though. When employees use their company’s EAP, they normally are in a crisis and their performance has already been impacted. Additionally, practical mental health training at the workplace encourages the use of the EAP, lifestyle modifications, and daily stress reduction practices, hence reducing the likelihood of many employees’ mental health emergencies.
The tools team members need to preserve their well-being through identifying and managing the primary stresses that affect job performance are provided through proactive mental health training programs. In order to maintain their productivity and engagement, employees can manage their mental health on a daily basis thanks to training programs.
Improves Corporate Culture
According to Harvard Business Review, 86% of employees think that their company’s culture should encourage mental wellness. Employers can show their concern for employees’ well-being by implementing a mental health training program. Introducing a training program also improves the working environment and lessens the stigma associated with mental illness. Employee engagement increases when they believe their employer cares about their welfare.
The main factor in developing a positive company culture is psychological safety at work. Employees who have psychological safety are able to be themselves at work without worrying about being rejected or facing negative consequences. Authenticity at work increases levels of engagement and decreases levels of burnout, two crucial indicators of business culture. Programs for mental health education encourage psychological safety and enable staff to talk openly about their well-being.
Reduces Conflict at Work
Conflict at work has several contributing factors, including employee well-being. Employees have a harder time communicating clearly and intelligently when they are having trouble managing their mental health. Stress and other common mental health issues can reduce a team member’s ability to overcome challenges with others at work. Employee conflict is made more likely by the tension brought on by a stressful epidemic and social injustice issues, which have sown unhealthy divisions. When employees are not feeling well, there is more conflict at work and team members are less likely to be able to address it.
Employees who are able to access a continuing mental health program at work get useful skills for managing their mental health. These strategies can aid in lowering anxiety levels, enhancing teamwork, and fostering trust. Employees are also more aware of how stress and the ensuing emotional reactivity or withdrawal can lead to conflict when mental health is prioritized at work. They will be able to handle challenging conversations more tactfully and deal with their teammates’ tension better thanks to this insight.
Boosts Overall Employee Wellness
Businesses have long been concerned with the health of their staff members as well as with lowering medical problems and expenses. However, when employee wellness is primarily concerned with physical health, it leaves out a crucial component. The physical and mental well-being of employees are interconnected. For instance, depression raises the risk of heart disease by 67% and the chance of cancer by 50%. Stress generally weakens the immune system and increases the likelihood of inflammation, which makes sickness worse.
Long-term health outcomes for workers can be improved by providing them with the resources they need to manage their mental health. For instance, developing coping mechanisms for worry and stress results in better sleep, which is essential for both physical and mental well-being. Additionally, long-term heart disease and stroke risk is decreased when employee well-being is improved. Making mental health a priority in the workplace can assist staff in forming better routines that enhance their physical well-being.
Programs for improving mental health help prevent negative health outcomes, much like a company-sponsored 5k or walkathon helps prevent bad heart health. Employee education not only contributes to greater physical health but also to their general well-being. Supporting employee well-being is part of a comprehensive wellness strategy, which has a bigger influence on workers’ general health.
Establishing a Workplace Mental Health Training with My Mindspeak Today!
By introducing a mental health training program, your company may take an active approach to employee wellbeing. You might start by asking your staff what issues with mental health are most affecting them.
Next, think about the pressures that are particular to the sector in which your firm operates to take into consideration elements that affect employee wellbeing. You can start with learning what issues your workplace’s mental health training needs to cover to overcome burnout in the workplace. Let us help you create a secure environment for your organisation where mental health is prioritised. Contact us at 08 83447936 or send us an email to [email protected].