2022-10-10

How to take responsibility for mental health in the workplace

Coaching Ledarskap Swedish

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How to take responsibility for mental health in the workplace

Latest updated: 19 January 2023

Today is World Mental Health Day, which provides an excellent opportunity for you as a manager or HR professional to think about how you take responsibility for mental health in the workplace. As an employer, you have a great responsibility for the health and well-being of your employees, and there is much to be gained by being ambitious in that responsibility. When employees see that the organization cares about people, a sense of community and loyalty is created.

 

For employees, it is a security to see that the employer cares for real and is willing to go far to take care of people in the organization. This security makes more people comfortable at work, feel loyalty to the organization and see the job as something more than just a job. This sense of camaraderie in turn leads to increased motivation and productivity, and prevents costly sick leave.

So, how does one in practice take care of mental health in the workplace? Here are 6 concrete points to work from.

1. Ensure that managers are knowledgeable and have the right training.

Mental health is a serious issue that requires concrete, factual knowledge and real expertise. It is easy to assume that issues related to mental health are fluffy and can be handled by anyone, but that is not the case. Make sure your managers truly have knowledge of the causes and symptoms of mental illness, and that they know how to act and take responsibility when an employee is affected. Specifically, you can give your managers that expertise through courses, lectures or workshops. Make sure everyone in the workplace has the right basic knowledge and that someone or some people are a little more specialized in the subject. Remember that in the long run, you will benefit from preventing illness in the workplace.

2. Prioritize good communication within the workplace.

Mental health is closely linked to communication, especially in the workplace. Communication can either create good mental health or harm it. Tense conflicts in the workplace often lead to sick leave. Therefore, it is important that conflicts are handled correctly and any issues within teams are addressed. Regular feedback is also very important for the well-being of employees.

Communication is also important for early detection of mental illness. As a manager, it is important to be available for your employees, pick up on any signals, and show that your door is always open. Don't just talk to employees during official meetings, but also during breaks, in the hallway, or at the coffee machine. It is often necessary to know how an employee is doing, and some things may be easier to say in a more informal conversation. Therefore, make sure informal conversations take place very regularly.

3. Make health and well-being a natural part of the corporate culture.

All health-related issues are interconnected. It is important to take care of physical health in order to feel good mentally. Therefore, as an employer, you should also promote physical health and encourage your employees to take care of themselves. This can include creating opportunities for wellness breaks or light exercise during the workday. You can also inspire employees to lead a healthier lifestyle through themed days, lectures, workshops or outdoor events. Do not underestimate the value of knowledge - make sure your employees have the right knowledge about the importance of diet, sleep and exercise, and how to do it in practice. Taking better care of oneself physically is a very important step towards better mental health.

4. Ensure a good balance between work and leisure time.

Working conditions have a big impact on mental health. Unfortunately, there are many factors that can create stress and mental ill-health in today's work environment. In particular, the boundary between work and leisure has become blurred, which creates problems for many. Establish policies and code of conduct that clearly state that all employees and managers must completely disconnect from work between shifts. Do not push those who are over-ambitious to cross the boundaries, instead, emphasize that rest and recovery are also a way to show competence. Also, keep a close eye on employees who work remotely or in a hybrid setting, as they are at an increased risk of blurring the boundary between work and leisure in an unhealthy way.

5. Seek help and support from outside.

As we already mentioned in point 1, mental health is an issue that requires knowledge and competence. Sometimes it may be necessary to seek support from outside to access that competence. This applies not only when an employee is already affected by mental illness, but also in a preventive sense. If you realize that one or more employees need a lot of support, it may be appropriate to seek the help of coaches or mentors, who can play an important role in a mental capacity. When employees receive help to work on self-reflection and self-awareness, the conditions are created to work and live in the right way. In this way, stress and mental illness can be prevented.

6. Cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning.

Last but not least, if you want to feel good in life and in the workplace, you need to feel motivated and engaged, and that in turn requires a sense of purpose and meaning. Here it can be helpful to seek the help of a coach (point 5), but there are also many other things you can do to strengthen the employee's sense of meaningfulness. Specifically, you need to get the company's vision or mission across in a way that employees really understand their own role in it and why it is important. Additionally, the employee needs to feel a high degree of autonomy in their work, and be offered good opportunities for skill and career development.

The feeling that the work is meaningful, that you can influence things and that you are constantly making progress in your career, strengthens the mental health of the employee - which in turn leads to well-being, motivation and high productivity.

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