Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace

Workplace health and safety programs are traditionally focused on physical health and safety. As the common understanding of “wellbeing” has expanded, maintaining and improving mental health has become a focal point for many businesses. A spotlight on mental health is long overdue, considering that 20% of Canadians struggle with mental health problems in any given year, and 50% of all Canadians will have had a mental health challenge by the time they’re 40 years old.¹

There’s a business case to be made for a comprehensive approach to organizational health and wellbeing. According to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, mental health issues cost Canadian businesses approximately $20 billion annually. These costs, together with those traditionally associated with workplace health and safety, come in the form of lost productivity, disability leaves, increased insurance claims, workplace accidents, interpersonal conflicts, higher turnover, and presenteeism—employees coming into work when they’re sick.² 

Wellness concerns have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in additional stressors for everyone, from front-line workers to those who have shifted to working from home. There’s never been a more critical time for businesses to invest in wellness programs.  

In this blog, we share some actionable workplace initiatives to ensure that health and well-being are promoted to keep employees balanced and productive. 

Creating a Healthy Workplace Culture

Organizational culture is the context for everything that happens in a company, so it’s crucial that it prioritizes health. At a high level, this includes: 

• Policies, practices, plans, and programs that prioritize respect for everyone who works at the organization. 
• Endorsement by top leadership, who must also “walk the talk” of the new culture. 
• Flexible work conditions, so employees have more control over their work. 
• Policies promote a positive work/life balance, including establishing “no contact” times when no one in the organization can send electronic communications. 
• A wellness committee to manage the implementation of these new initiatives and monitor progress. 
• Cultivating a spirit of camaraderie among employees and the feeling of working toward a common goal.  

As an employee, it’s important to proactively educate yourself on the key signs of burnout (particularly if you’re working remotely), know how to communicate with your employer if you’re feeling out of balance, and where you can access resources and support. While a forward-thinking organization will make these resources readily available to you, remember that it is also your responsibility to learn how and when to access them!  

Giving Employees the Right Tools to Support Their Health

Creating a context for promoting health and wellness is a great first step. The next one is to empower your employees to participate in your wellness initiatives. Some common tools and practices for increasing employee buy-in include: 

• Comprehensive benefits to cover both physical and mental health. Plans should be unrestricted so people can use tools that help them most, whether counseling, gym memberships, massage therapy, dance classes, fitness equipment, wearables, retreats, or spa days.*  
• An Employee Assistance Program external to the organization to provide health support for employees and their family members. 
• A “buddy” system to help new employees adapt to their new roles and help them socially integrate into the team or office environment. 
• Adequate time off, including time off to maintain or restore mental health. 
• Customized accommodations for employees with mental and physical health challenges. 
• Staff training about the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, and Mental Health First Aid courses to help leaders recognize these signs in others.³ 
• Healthy snacks and beverages, along with other cues to healthy choices. 
• Training and education about health-related topics like the importance of sleep, the benefits of mindfulness, and ways to prevent or manage specific illnesses. 
• Equipment and facilities that people can incorporate into their work, such as standing desks and showers/changeroom for people who bike or run to work. 
• Workspaces that encourage collaboration and team building, along with quiet spaces where employees can work uninterrupted or simply spend time on their own. 
• Supporting employees’ volunteer work by making reasonable accommodations to their work schedules, making financial donations to the volunteer organizations, and celebrating the employees’ contributions to the community.  

Facilitating Professional Development

While a sustained focus upon your employees’ mental and physical health is vital, a good leader should also support your workforce by helping them advance in the organization. Employees who feel they have the support and resources to achieve their personal and professional goals are more likely to feel fulfilled and less inclined to seek job opportunities elsewhere.⁴ Below are some effective strategies for promoting professional development opportunities within the workplace: 

• Prove opportunities for cross-training and job shadowing. 
• Establish regular goal-setting sessions focused specifically on skills or competencies that the employee would like to acquire. 
• Promote training and educational opportunities. This could include partnering with organizations that specialize in training and education so employees can benefit from their broad resource base. 
• Create a succession plan for key positions in the organization. This helps identify employees ready to take on more responsibility and facilitates their progression to senior roles. 
• Ensure that employees understand the “big picture” and how they fit into it, and how various roles in the company interface.  
• Celebrate employee achievements to acknowledge growth and encourage ongoing development. 
• Offer “stretch assignments” to help employees move out of their comfort zone by challenging them with learning that pushes the envelope. 

Supporting Employees Working from Home

Since the start of the pandemic, 30% of employees shifted to working from home. That change poses a unique challenge for employers to create a favorable working environment that supports employees wherever they are situated. On top of work demands, remote workers often need to juggle domestic duties like household chores, helping their kids with online classes, supporting aging parents, etc. As a result, remote workers are more prone to feeling isolated. As personal and work lives blend, it is s harder for them to log off at the end of the day. Here are a few tips to support the mental health of WFH employees:

• Introduce a flexible work schedule, which can be beneficial for parents to effectively manage personal and work lives, especially those with young children who need more support.
• Create an “Open Door” policy and encourage employees to speak up, provide feedback, or raise concerns. Scheduling weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly 1:1 meetings with employees where they can voice any concerns.
• Encourage Mental Health Breaks, where employees can digitally disconnect during work hours, offering them a chance to get outside if they like, go for a walk brisk walk, coffee run, or just for a chance to enjoy some fresh air.
• Remind employees to take a vacation or use their personal days. With the ongoing restrictions, people tend to put off taking their vacations because of travel constraints. However, taking a staycation can do wonders for your mental health and allow you to explore more local sites instead.
• Promote Virtual coffee break, where team members can stay connected and have informal discussions on or off-camera.

Creating a healthy workplace is a challenging undertaking but a necessary one. As jobs become increasingly technology-based and remote, full-spectrum approaches to health will ensure that employees feel respected and experience their work as rewarding. That means improved productivity, lower health-related costs, greater retention, and an enhanced corporate profile for organizations. As a leader, go beyond developing strategies; model these healthy behaviours in the workplace and be open and honest about challenges or achievements in your wellness journey. 

As an employee, speak up if you feel your company’s practices could use a refresh this year; start small by sharing some of these ideas with a leader or someone within your human resources team.  

SOURCES:

• • Mental Health Commission of Canada Workplace Mental Health
  • Stretch Assignments
  • ¹ CAMH: Prevalence of mental illness in Canada
  • ² IAPA (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) 2008: The business case for a healthy workplace
  • ³ Mental Health Commission of Canada Mental Health First Aid Training
  • ⁴ https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/blog/management-tips/effective-employee-retention-strategies
  • * Unfortunately, during the pandemic some of these resources were not widely available