What Employers Can Do to Support Mental Health at Workplace

1. What What Employers Employers Can Do Can Do to to Support Mental Health Support Mental Health at at Workplace Workplace Employees are an important asset to any company. By ensuring that they are healthy and happy, employers can cut down on losses happening due to frequent absenteeism and lowered productivity. However, most mental disorders are difficult to detect, especially in an organizational set up. A mental health condition, whether it is an undiagnosed depression or anxiety, takes a considerable time to unfurl. Thus, it is important to identify symptoms of mental illness early through regular screening. Hera are a few common symptoms that may indicate a mental health condition: Increased isolation Inadvertent errors at work Increased irritability Angry outbursts Fatigue Trouble concentrating on the work at hand Unexplained headaches Dressing shabbily Drinking while at work Looking stressed out frequently Stomach disorders High blood pressure Calculating the loss incurred due to mental health conditions such as depression, the Integrated Benefits Institute, a leading research organization in health and productivity, estimated that on average, depression led to 2.2 days of absence and 7.5 days of presence per employee per year. The costs of an untreated mental health condition are huge. However, unlike other diseases, the economic burden of mental disorders is not solely based on the cost of care; rather, it is due to a significant loss of income as a result of unemployment and chronic disability. Eliminating job stressors can mitigate risk of mental ailments Companies can incorporate various strategies to take care of the mental well-being of their employees. Having a counselor or a social worker who has prerequisite knowledge about adult psychology can help mitigate various job stressors. In case someone has an undiagnosed mental health condition, organizations should make efforts to identify the symptoms at an early stage and help access adequate treatment. Listed below are some of the steps that employers can take to ensure mental well-being of workers: Tackling stigma associated with mental health conditions: Everyone goes through a period of grief and loss. At times, family issues could also affect the employee’s productivity. Programs within the company which reach out to employees and encourage them to seek treatment without stigmatizing them for their illness go a long way in eliminating the crisis. www.sovfl.com

2. Education: Educating managers and employees about various mental disorders is the first step toward creating a stress-free work environment. It is seen that education enlightens employees and encourages them to approach a colleague showing signs of stress or disgruntlement. According to Laurie Brednich, CEO of HR Company Store, LLC in Phoenix, who had enabled training classes for managers on mental health education, “Supervisors want to help, but because of all the laws surrounding HIPAA and privacy, they are not sure what they can and cannot say to an employee.” Online counseling: Online counselling provides anonymity and privacy to employees who are not comfortable airing their problems before HR or managers. Having sessions for unwinding, such as group sessions, long walks and even yoga can motivate employees to share their feelings with their seniors. Job modifications: Another healthy practice is to provide help and support to the employees who take leave to attend a rehab. Making changes in job requirements so that they are better able to adjust with the rigors of their treatment can ensure a proper work-life balance. Using apps: Certain apps such as Happster help support a friendly work environment. The advantage of this app is that it engages employees positively and creates a peer recognition system for enhancing the morale of those living with mental disorders. Happy workplace is a healthy workplace At Sovereign Health of Florida, we understand that recovery from a mental disorder is a long process and requires care of professionals. As no individual is the same, our centers, considered among the best residential mental health facilities in Florida, provide every patient with a personalized treatment plan. For more information on our mental health rehab centers, call our 24/7 helpline number (866) 217-5527. www.sovfl.com