Around 1 in 6 people in the UK experience a common mental health problem each week and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health issues have been increasing, as people have struggled to cope with lockdown restrictions and other consequences of the pandemic.
As an employer, you have a responsibility to look after your employees’ physical and mental wellbeing. People spend a large amount of their life at work and having the right support network can help to maintain good mental health.
Studies show that employees who have mental health support from their employers feel more motivated in work and are more likely to recommend the company as a place to work. Supporting mental health in work can also reduce absenteeism, so there are many benefits to providing a good mental health support framework at work.
To help you to support your employees’ mental health as much as possible, here are some tips:
Discuss wellbeing in one-to-one meetings
As well as discussing work performance and targets, using meetings to give employees the chance to talk about any personal issues can help to identify any problems and try to find solutions.
Refer to an Employee Assistance Programme
If your company has an employee assistance programme, then you might be able to refer them for services such as counselling under the scheme. If you do not have an EAP, then now could be the right time to start working with a provider, as there are some great packages available for all sizes of companies, to help support employees’ wellbeing.
Provide career development opportunities
People feel more engaged in their work and feel more supported by their employers when they know they have opportunities to learn new skills or to gain promotion. Making online courses available to your employees will give them greater motivation. If you do not have a budget for training courses, you can suggest free online courses and you can give them study time off work to show your support to their development opportunities.
Build an inclusive, open working environment
It is important that people feel part of the team and able to openly discuss any personal issues without fear of being judged or it affecting their career. As an employer, you should try to build an inclusive culture, where employees feel like their views are taken into account.
A good place to start is to conduct anonymous employee engagement surveys, to gauge how people are feeling about different aspects of their working life and the support you provide as an employer. Engagement surveys can also help to identify any issues that could be improved upon through an action plan.
Provide smart workwear
Research shows that people who are provided with smart workwear for their job feel more appreciated by their employer and branded workwear helps to make employees feel a closer attachment to the company they work for. In addition, by providing comfortable, professional-looking work clothing, productivity is often higher and your employees are giving a good impression of your company when in public.
You can buy high-quality, branded workwear in a range of colours and sizes from Hivis.net, which will give your employees a well-being boost and provide many other benefits to your company.
Visit the online store to place your order.