May Is Mental Health Awareness (MHA)
In 1949, Mental Health Awareness in the Month of May was created and still carries on today.
EMPLOYERS – Must Have Awareness
The Mental Health of your employees is so very important and really does matter to your business. If you are the CEO of your own business, or, in a leadership role within an organization, you all know and recognize the signs of “Spot On & Focused” employees and those that are “doomed and gloomed” employees. The most important thing any business must realize is that suboptimal mental health is directly related to increased errors in the workplace (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2018). The perceptions of poor mental health and decreased wellness in your employees is something that employers must try and assist their employees with, since this will affect both the productivity and satisfaction of the employee.
Workforce Physical and Mental Wellness should be a part of a strategic priority for organizations. Here are a few tips that could be part of your plan to keep your employees’ Mental Health SHARP and COHESIVE and STAYING WELL.
- Develop a total wellness program with rewards for employees as they progress towards their goals
- Plan health promotion activities that include social events, 5K’s, yoga & meditation sessions
- Set clear expectations; allow sufficient time and alter the pace of workplace activities, when possible
- Reduce multi-tasking activities; lower noise levels and the number of interruptions
- Provide extra encouragement and praise of job performance
- Provide team building activities and workshops to improve communication and relationships between employees
- Provide healthy food choices, including juices and lots of water to stay well hydrated
- Encourage walking meetings and walking during lunch time
- Offer gym memberships at discounted rates
- Develop strategies to avoid bullying and unprofessional behavior
- Strongly encourage breaks and meals taken away from the work station
- Offer confidential employee assistance programs and additional resources as needed
So, why does all this matter so much to employers? You may be thinking that this is something that organizations are not responsible for. The answer is that creating supportive environments that focus on solutions for employees will help them to be successful. Organizations must understand that developing a workforce plan for mental health wellness will ultimately improve performance and employee satisfaction.
by: Dr. Elsie Crowninshield, DNP, RNP, CCRN, NE-BC
If you need mental health resources or are interested in our holistic health assessments and well-being workshops, please contact us:
Phone: (213) 304-5603 | (661) 755-7682 ~ E-mail: info@the-wellness-institute.com
