Ways to Support Mental Health in the Workplace
As a business owner, looking after your employees has no doubt been at the forefront of your concerns over the last year or so. The ongoing situation has meant many employees have now moved to working remotely, and have been juggling childcare, home-schooling and keeping up a full time job. It’s safe to say that because of these extenuating circumstances, many of your employees will have struggled at some point with their mental health.
Whether your employees are working at home or following careful measures to stay in the workplace, it’s important to find ways of supporting their wellbeing both for now and beyond the pandemic. Here we take a look at some of the most effective ways to support your staff and ensure they feel looked after under your management.
Employee benefits
In today’s workplace, many employees look to what their employer can offer them in regards to job satisfaction, bonus schemes and benefits. A business that offers such additional features demonstrates a willingness to look after its employees, which can be a huge factor in the current climate.
Group Life insurance, also known as death in service benefits, can provide a pay-out to the employees’ family if they pass away while employed by the business. It’s important to note that the passing of an employee doesn’t have to occur when they are physically at work or carrying out a work activity.
The policy is taken out and paid for by the business, which is why it’s such an attractive benefit for many employees. The pay-out amount is usually based on a multiple of salary, but it can vary. Death in service schemes can be taken out for each employee individually, or Group Life can cover all of the employees.
A lot of Group Life policies offer a number of additional free services that employees can take advantage of, if necessary. This can include both physical and mental health support. Providers such as AIG offer a Smart Health service, with unlimited access to 24/7 GPs, nutrition consultations and online fitness programmes. Similarly, Aviva offers access to bereavement counselling for families and a stress helpline.
Some of the leading providers will also provide annual health checks, which could be incredibly helpful to employees who may be struggling to get medical appointments due to the impact of the pandemic.
Offering Group Life insurance for your workforce can establish your business’ position as a business who cares for the health and wellbeing of its staff and their families. This type of protection can help employees to feel more at ease, knowing their families will be financially taken care of if something was to happen.
Communication is key
Mental health issues can range from feeling down, stressed or even frightened. It’s important that as an employer, your door is open for your employees to share any concerns they might have and know that they will receive a warm welcome. Research shows that as many as 1 in 6 people will experience symptoms of a mental health problem in any given week.
Mental health issues can present themselves in a number of different ways, and it can make a big difference when your employees feel they are under caring management. Particularly when working remotely, it can be easy for communication to break down and for employees to isolate themselves, which can make things worse. Be sure to check in with your team regularly, and make sure everyone understands the resources available to them, should anyone begin to struggle with a mental health problem.
Recognising the signs
Different mental health problems can affect people in different ways, and anything could trigger symptoms. Being able to notice when an employee seems particularly demotivated, tired or if they begin to take on more than they should, could make a huge difference.
Creating a positive workplace culture virtually can seem like a challenge, but it’s important for everyone to feel like they can be themselves and that they can reach out if they need support.
This, together with offering the likes of employee benefits, can result in a productive, motivating and positive environment to help individuals thrive. To find out more about setting up an employee benefits scheme, get in touch today.
Source: Mental Health Foundation
Source: AIG & Aviva
