Mental health protections in the workplace help keep the environment positive for everyone. There are a few ways you can help keep moral up around the office or on the job. For example, using inclusive language is a good way to help people speak out about their concerns, worries, joys and other feelings. It’s a good idea to foster an environment in which employees can talk about post-traumatic stress, work stress, anxiety and other issues.
A great workplace has plenty of time for a good work/life balance. That means that employees work a full-time shift that still gives them enough time to rest, recuperate and recover. Large workloads might help get the job done faster, but it’s strenuous to have a single employee do all of that work. Workplaces that consider using more employees on the same task tend to reduce stress across the board.
Another good idea in workplaces is to foster recognition and engagement with one another. Employees should want to see each other succeed and know they have the same access to opportunities as others. They should be celebrated when they are safe or complete tasks, just as they should be appreciated after a normal day of work.
As far as benefits go, a healthy workplace should offer employee assistance programs or help for those who struggle with mental health issues or stress from work. Health insurance is typically provided by many employers, and this can also help reduce the stress employees face, since they know they can go to a doctor and seek care when necessary.
If employees do suffer from mental health illnesses due to the stress at work, they should be entitled to workers’ compensation to get treatment for those illnesses. With the right support, they can recover and return healthier to the job.
Source: WorkersCompensation.com, “9 Steps to Foster a Mentally Healthy Workplace,” Feb. 16, 2017
