27 Sep 5 Ways Businesses Can Prioritize the Mental Health of Their Employees

Now more than ever, employers are recognizing the importance of employee wellbeing.

When employees are well and are in a good state of mental health, the business will flourish. Why? Because your team is able to focus on their tasks and be more productive.

While mental health can be a touchy subject for some, here are five ways your business can prioritize the mental health of your employees.

1.) Increase Awareness

The best way to increase awareness about the importance of mental health is to talk about it. It sounds simple because it is simple; nevertheless, sometimes it’s the simplest things that are often overlooked.

While May is officially mental health awareness month, it can be easy to add a talking point about employee wellbeing in a monthly staff meeting. By raising awareness about mental health, HR professionals will not only improve the morale of their workforce but also save the organization money in the future by avoiding unnecessary health care costs.

2.) Flexible Schedules/ Vacation Time

Another way to boost the mental health of your employees is to offer flexible schedules and vacation time. Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders to boost the morale of an employee. In the last year,, we have learned that many businesses can function with their employees working from home part of the time—if not all of the time.

While it is customary to offer vacation time to full-time employees, many companies have made it almost impossible for their employees to actually take the time off. Make provisions for your employees to use their vacation time without guilt for leaving the office “unattended.” Many employees don’t want to take vacation time because they dread the increased workload right before and immediately following their time off. Thus, increasing the risk of mental health issues because your employees never take a break from work.

3.) Personal and Professional Development

Personal and Professional development is the process through which an organization and employees engage together to help individuals shape their careers and develop skills. When employers show they care about their employees’ personal and professional development, employees are happier, work harder, and have a greater sense of wellbeing overall.

At Care Plus Solutions, our Employee Assistance Programs offer solutions to help you assist your employees in the personal and professional development they may want or need.

4.) Physical Activity Incentives

You can help promote your employees’ wellbeing and mental health by offering physical activity incentives. We know that not everyone on your team is going to be able to instantly drop and give you 50 push-ups or burpees; however, there are easy incentives that can be offered that the majority of your employees would be able to fulfill.

For instance, some businesses offer gift cards to employees who track a certain amount of steps per month. Other employers create contests (individual or group) for steps in a week or month. Get creative, but keep it simple. The goal is not to cause more stress, but to help your employees relieve stress and maintain good mental health.

5.) HR and Mental Health Support

About 1 in 5 adults experience some form of mental illness during their lifetime. The need for professional counseling services is constantly increasing. Unfortunately, many employees who would benefit the most from professional assistance are unable to afford it.

This is why it is important for Human Resources managers to choose an Employee Assistance Program that offers these types of services. At Care Plus Solutions, our EAPs offer general counseling that can put employees in touch with a professional and affordable counselor.

There’s no denying that when a business is willing to help boost an employee’s wellbeing and mental health, that the results are beneficial for the business. Care Plus Solutions EAP cases yield an average productivity improvement of 50%. Our formal management referrals average an 80% reduction in absenteeism, and a 40% improvement in overall productivity.

When you choose to do what’s best for your employees, you’re also doing what’s best for the business.

Care Plus Solutions is America’s first EAP and is headquartered in New York and has offices in New Jersey. Over the course of the company’s 46 year history, their brand has remained firmly rooted in the rich history of the EAP field, never losing sight of the fundamental purpose of the EAP; delivering personal and quality services to those in need. It is fair to say that Care Plus Solutions is the gold standard in the field of Employee Assistance.