Mental Health Awareness
Increased challenges to mental health in the workplace.
Mental Health Awareness Month – May 2022
May 16, 2022
5 Ideas to Promote Mental Wellness in the Workplace
Increased challenges to mental health in the workplace is not new news; your employees are burned out! Burnout isn’t only a result of long hours. Many other factors such as co-worker or supervisor conflict, unclear job expectations, feeling unheard, and lack of connection can all contribute.
According to Monster.com, burnout is the #1 reason people look for a new job.
Additionally, MHA reports that 76% of employees say workplace stress makes them depressed and are now 3x more likely to report mental health concerns than before the pandemic. As staffing agency owners and leaders, you have your internal and contract employees to consider.
How can you support your employees with their well-being? Here are 5 ideas to get you started!
- Put together a Health Challenge to encourage physical activity, healthy eating, and proper sleep.
- Hold a monthly drawing for a gift that promotes health and wellness.
- Arrange discounts at local gyms or stores that encourage healthy living.
- Set up “Groups” for people with shared interests (virtual or in-person) such as book clubs, gardening, cooking, or sports.
- Check out this blog on Protecting your Mental Health at Work by CareSpot https://www.carespot.com/blog/protecting-your-mental-health-work/
HR Professionals Recognize Importance of Workplace Mental Health, but Lack Resources.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) surveyed 3,400 U.S. HR professionals. The survey found that 94% of HR professionals see great value in offering mental health resources within an organization to improve the overall well-being of employees. However, 21% of the respondents said that their organization does not provide mental health benefits or have the resources to address mental health issues. Another 21% said it’s too expensive to act.
The good news is that roughly 78% of organizations surveyed plan to implement mental health resources in the next year. Additionally, 86% of HR professionals want to offer mental health resources to help employee retention, and 72% say that adding these resources will help attract new talent.
America is facing a workplace mental health crisis, with burnout, exhaustion, and hopelessness more common among workers than ever before.
The 2022 Mental Health Toolkit
Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2022 Mental Health Month Toolkit takes a “back to basics” approach. Since spending over two years living in a pandemic, many people are experiencing an abundance of stress, anxiety, and isolation for the first time.
MHA’s goal is to provide fundamental knowledge about mental health, its conditions, and information on what people can do if they or someone they know has a mental health concern.
To access MHA’s 2022 Mental Health Toolkit – Click here.
10 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health At Work
There have been so many factors that have contributed to the mental health crisis in the US and worldwide. From the pandemic and inflation to political unrest and war. The list goes on, making mental health a top priority for organizations.
It is not surprising that 2021’s Mental Health at Work Report found increased mental health concerns over the past two years. In 2019, a study showed a 59% increase in mental health conditions from those surveyed the year prior. In 2021, that number went up 76%.
While companies have some catching up on prioritizing employee well-being, here are 10 things you can do in the meantime.
