5 tips for happy healthy employees
Mental health isn’t just something that affects employees.
It affects businesses too.
Mental ill health is now the most common cause of work-limiting conditions among those aged 44 years and younger.
For businesses, this can mean increased sickness absence as well as the associated financial costs.
This is why supporting wellbeing isn’t just the morally right thing to do; it also makes business sense.
On average, there is a positive return on investment of around £5 for every £1 invested in workplace mental health interventions.
So, with that in mind, here are some practical ways businesses like yours can support their employees.
Train managers and leaders
Give the people supervising staff the confidence to respond to employees’ concerns. Stress-related sick leave is rising, and just one in four workers feel that mental health is genuinely prioritised and supported at work. Mental health can still be difficult to talk about, so managers need to know what to say and, just as importantly, what not to say.
Managers can learn to recognise signs of burnout and stress. They aren’t expected to diagnose employees or create specific recovery plans, but they can start conversations in a respectful and sensitive way and know where to direct employees who need further support.
Make it easier to talk
Give employees a friendly face to rely on when times are tough. Over one in three workers reported that they did not feel comfortable discussing high or extreme levels of stress with a manager. People need a psychological safety net of sorts, where they can talk to someone free of judgement.
Employees need to know that raising an issue won’t change or damage the way they are perceived or treated at work. You can help by explaining how conversations will be handled and when confidentiality may need to be broken. Make sure concerns are taken seriously and make it clear that asking for support won’t automatically be treated as poor performance.
Check in regularly
Check in regularly rather than waiting for someone to approach you at crisis point. Normalise short conversations about workload and wellbeing during the time you already spend with employees, such as including a quick wellbeing check-in in scheduled one-to-ones.
Rather than simply asking if everything is okay, get comfortable asking about employees’ current workloads and any pressure they feel as a result. This gives them regular opportunities to raise concerns before they become more difficult issues. After all, the business is its people. The better they feel, the more the business can thrive.
Protect their work-life balance
Reducing workplace sources of unnecessary stress can help prevent pressure and overload from becoming bigger problems. The HSE identifies demands and support among six key areas that can contribute to work-related stress. This gives businesses an opportunity to get involved before these pressures begin to affect both employees and the business.
You can do this through manageable workloads, sufficient breaks, thoughtful rotas and flexibility where it’s practical to do so. Flexibility can take many forms, even in workplaces where remote working isn’t possible.
Build schedules that respect people’s time and, where possible, give staff greater autonomy by allowing colleagues to trade shifts. Clear expectations around what is flexible and what is fixed can also give employees greater peace of mind.
Make support easy to find
When employees are already struggling, not knowing where to turn can create another barrier to getting support. Don’t leave your employees in the dark. Communicate any internal resources clearly and make sure they are aware of reputable external support too.
Depending on the business, this might include an employee assistance programme, occupational health services or external mental health organisations.
If getting help is complicated or becomes a task in itself, someone already overwhelmed by stress is just adding another job to the list. Instead, make the route to accessing help as straightforward as possible.
Supporting mental health doesn’t have to involve massive, complicated or expensive schemes. Small, consistent management practices can create a healthier workplace without requiring huge resources.
By reducing avoidable workplace pressures, creating space for honest conversations and making support accessible, small businesses can better support their employees while building a healthier business too.