Mental health, emotional balance, and work-life balance are not just trendy buzzwords but are the foundation of every employee’s functioning, which an employer should take care of. As many as 76% of respondents in the “Workplace Well-being” survey indicated work-related stress as the cause of their mental health problems. The consequences of poor mental health among employees are a significant threat both to them and to the well-being of the organization. Learn how to take care of employees’ mental health, ensuring their well-being and comfort at work.
To keep an employee motivated, ensure their actions yield expected results, and foster their willingness to actively participate in the company’s life, it is essential to look after their well-being within the organization’s structure. Employee well-being is a crucial factor in job satisfaction and professional functioning.
Young people, especially Generation Z, are particularly sensitive to this aspect of work. In the next year, they will make up 27% of the global workforce. As many as 94% of active Generation Z employees declare that it is very important for them that employers take care of their employees’ mental health, according to the report by They.pl “Gen Z about themselves and the world around them. What are Polish Zetki like? Insights about the generation without generalizations.”
These statistics should surprise no one. Disrupted mental balance in the workplace can have serious consequences.
Why It Is Worth Focusing on Mental Health in the Workplace
Neglecting mental health in the workplace can result in several negative changes in attitude, work quality, and the atmosphere introduced into the organization. Some of the consequences include:
- Decreased employee motivation towards their duties,
- Job dissatisfaction,
- Frequent mistakes at work,
- Low productivity,
- Problems with time management.
Factors contributing to such behavior include chronic stress, unrealistic demands and expectations, non-partner approach towards employees, lack of work-life balance, or a toxic work environment. This atmosphere and circumstances eventually lead to frequent employee turnover, disrupting the smooth operation of the company and potentially causing burnout.
Not Just a Psychologist, but Also an Employer
The manager-employee relationship is inherently reciprocal, and the company is a living organism where each person’s behavior impacts the organization’s atmosphere.
Therefore, it is crucial to observe employees, allowing early detection of low mood, poor efficiency, or lack of engagement. At this point, it is essential to consider the cause of these issues.
It is crucial to note that changes in employees’ attitudes and behaviors usually result from internal company problems, not individual changes in attitude or insubordination. Therefore, it is worthwhile to investigate the difficulties the team faces daily and introduce a new management approach that will enhance efficiency and job satisfaction.
What Can Employers Do to Support Employees’ Mental Health?
To avoid problems or respond to them effectively when they arise, employers should implement several solutions:
- Observation: Employers should observe their team, be sensitive to words, remarks, and changes in employee behavior. It is important to ensure one-on-one meetings and create opportunities for open dialogue and consultation.
- Creating a Friendly Work Environment: It is key to create a safe work environment where employees feel respected, their needs are considered, and they are trusted and treated as partners. This ensures they do not feel they have to cope with everything alone.
- Providing Professional Psychological Support: Offering professional psychological support within the company helps employees deal with challenging situations they face at work and beyond.
- Monitoring Absences: Implementing a system to monitor employee absences can help observe changes such as an increase in sick leaves or days off, which might signal deteriorating well-being within the company.
- Promoting Work-Life Balance: Ensuring a healthy lifestyle during free time by providing appropriate benefits such as sports activities or personal development opportunities is also important.
Engagement Surveys as a Way to Ensure Employee Well-Being
A method that can also help employers take care of employees’ mental health is conducting engagement and opinion surveys. The Ostendi Team Insight Survey is a tool that provides a broad perspective on the organization by quickly and effectively gathering information about key areas impacting business efficiency. The survey results offer a valuable diagnosis of the current level of satisfaction and engagement among employees and are a tool for conscious and effective team management.
The engagement survey is designed as a set of simple questions for employees, who know best what directly impacts their performance. The Ostendi Team Insight Survey is customized to each organization’s needs through individually tailored questions to the specific characteristics of the company. The Team Insight Survey questionnaire is based on Peter Moxon’s concept outlined in “Building a Better Team: A Handbook for Managers and Facilitators” and 12 employee engagement aspects identified in Gallup Institute’s research. The entire survey is summarized in one cohesive and transparent report.
The key benefits of implementing this tool include:
- Identifying the organization’s strengths and weaknesses,
- Planning appropriate implementation of solutions to improve its operation,
- Comprehensive review of managerial competencies,
- Assessing how the organization fares regarding aspects such as atmosphere, leadership, communication, goal awareness, and role and responsibility division.
Daily activities of all employees in these areas are the fundamental pillars of an efficient organization. Conducting engagement and satisfaction surveys cyclically allows for early detection of crises within the organization and enables immediate action. It is essential to remember that an employee who feels cared for and heard repays the company through their engagement. Good mental health among employees leads to better daily work results, mutual satisfaction, and improved company performance, strengthening its market position.
