How to Enhance Employee Mental Health and Wellbeing
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. At LifeSpeak Inc., we believe overall employee wellbeing is paramount to sprouting spectacular productivity among employees and that it should be accessible to everyone. Our solutions often compliment employee assistance programs (EAPs) so individuals can receive the best care in times of need.
It is important that employers recognize signs of mental health challenges among their employees. A robust understanding of how to mitigate stressful situations as well as identify any challenges up front is beneficial in minimizing burnout – and ultimately – turnover.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five Americans will experience mental health illness in any given year. In the post-pandemic era, we know that employees are dispositioned to experience mental health challenges.
In a recent study out of San Francisco, 64 percent of participants reported having issues pertaining to mental health. Further, 91 percent stated they were less productive due to mental health issues. As a result, their employee productivity was being negatively affected, with 45 percent reporting more than five hours a week lost.
- Providing Key Resources to Employees
Addressing mental health with your team is the first step to understanding their pain points so a solution can be bought to the forefront. Keeping an open line of communication, continual destigmatization, and engaging in active leadership are all wonderful ways to ensure healthy employee wellbeing.
Bringing an active solution to overcoming obstacles is a key component to a successful initiative in prioritizing employees’ mental health.
LifeSpeak Mental Health & Resilience, a product of LifeSpeak Inc. re-shapes the way we view mental health, specifically in our workplaces. The vast library of resources available at your fingertips provides best-in-class tools and content to individuals so they can live healthy, and balanced lives.
- Balancing Work and Family Life
Employees who are parents or caregivers to elderly loved ones not only need to perform their best at work, but they also need to be their best selves to care for their family member in between and after business hours.
Maximizing employee wellbeing through tools and resources that speak to caregiver support helps mitigate obstacles between work and home life.
Did you know that 70 percent of working caregivers suffer work-related difficulties due to their dual roles? Also, 69 percent must rearrange their work schedule, decrease hours, or take unpaid leave to meet their caregiving responsibilities.
These statistics are a recipe for employee burnout. But how can employers assist in setting up success for their team members?
Torchlight Parenting and Caregiving, a product of LifeSpeak Inc., offers individuals the blueprints to success. By offering comprehensive, educational, preventative, and tailored content, employees can access the proper resources specific to supporting their caregiving needs.
- Connecting Physical Health to Mental Health
Staying active not only keeps your body healthy, but also your mind. Incorporating physical activity in your daily routine is a terrific way to relive stress, while also staying in shape. Additionally, research shows that increased physical activity in any form can improve symptoms of depression, and reduces the risk in both adults and children.
Achieving wellness through exercise or nutrition looks different for everyone, and there are many ways to accommodate wellness to suit any lifestyle and ability level. While physical activity can certainly connect your body with your mind, nutrition is also a key factor in energizing and fueling your mind for optimal mental health.
While surveying your employees, you may find that they are eager to improve their fitness in their spare time. However, due to busy schedules, it can be difficult to fit in live classes. Phrases like “I don’t have time to go to the gym” often amplifies the justification to individuals to not get in their recommended dose of physical activity each day.
Wellbeats Wellness, a product of LifeSpeak Inc., offers a chockful of resources, with on-demand wellness, nutrition, mindfulness, and fitness classes and programs. The best part is the convenience it provides to members. Anyone can log in at any time and start a program or class, so whole-person wellness is only one click away. Employers can also implement Wellbeats Wellness into their fitness incentive programs, which often see an uptick in employee participation.
Mental Health Awareness Month allows each of us to better understand one another and how we can lend support to better our mental health. Employers who harness the potential to enhance employee wellbeing will notice a rise in productivity and healthier team members. A whole-person wellbeing solution is the key to elevating employees to be happy and balanced in their everyday lives.
Already a member? Login to your LifeSpeak account to access a vast array of comprehensive mental health resources.
INDEX:
San Francisco Study:
Employees feeling undervalued at work (survey):
https://blog.bonus.ly/employee-appreciation-survey
Caregiver stat:
https://www.caregiver.org/resource/caregiver-statistics-work-and-caregiving/
Research on physical activity reducing depression risk:
