‘Tis that time of year again where feverish excited voices echo in offices all over the world. No, it’s not Christmas, it’s World Mental Health Day!
World Mental Health Day is a global day of education, awareness, and advocacy against the social stigma associated with mental health, as well as a day to raise awareness and organise support for mental health issues.
Recognising the impact of employee mental health is critical for business success now more than ever. With all the stress and strife experienced over the past two years from Covid-19, employees may still feel overwhelmed and anxious. Additionally, such emotional states can lead to decreased productivity, disengagement from tasks at hand, and even workplace conflict. This will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the efficiency of business operations.
World Mental Health Day allows company stakeholders to showcase their efforts in mental health at the workplace and to address their requirements for ensuring that mental health care is a reality for their employees.
No one is untouched, either directly or indirectly, by mental health issues. Data from around the world paints a bleak picture of mental illness, with an estimated 450 million people suffering from it in some form.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is so common and debilitating that it is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, costing the global economy around $1 trillion in lost productivity each year. The WHO and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) urge individuals to pay greater attention to their psychological well-being and to seek help, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many studies have shown that when employees are healthy, engaged, and focused, organisations perform better. The support employees receive from their employers has a significant impact on their ability to recover successfully and quickly return to optimum performance. Simply put, business leaders must treat mental health issues in the same way they consider physical health concerns.
The HAIL approach is an excellent tool for leaders to continuously support employee mental health and wellbeing:
1. Honesty
Almost everyone has felt workplace discomfort at some point in their careers, whether it was due to deadline pressure or frustration with the proverbial red tape. Leaders can help reduce the social stigma associated with mental health wellbeing by sharing their personal experiences and exposing their vulnerabilities. Thus, employees will feel safe to broach this subject without fear or trepidation.
2. Authenticity
It would be prudent for managers to communicate candidly with their teams about any organisational changes or updates, as well as any variations to work hours or standards. They can assist in reducing stress by setting workload expectations, prioritising necessary tasks, and identifying what can be deferred if necessary. Leaders must actively promote the use of accessible mental health services.
World Mental Health Day is observed annually on October 10.
3. Integrity
Leaders should openly discuss what they are doing to avoid burnout, whether it is taking a mental health day, attending counselling or coaching sessions, or prioritising a staycation (and physically disconnecting from work). If this strategy is implemented from the top down, employees will be inspired to follow suit.
4. Love
Managers can use empathy to demonstrate their love and respect for their employees. This is an essential characteristic of a leader. Empathy is the capacity to understand and be cognisant of the other person’s needs and feelings without judgments, assumptions, or presumptions. This trait can be developed through understanding situations from different perspectives.
Empathetic active listening enables employees to communicate freely without fear of repercussions, while also allowing the leader to hear and comprehend any concerns or remarks. Additionally, empathy establishes the premise that we all ultimately desire the same thing: an authentic sense of self in an incessantly overwhelming world.
World Mental Health Day serves as an excellent reminder to value our mental health and the critical nature of protecting the well-being of our family, friends, and colleagues. That being said, mental health awareness should be a year-round priority, not just an annual special event.
Tess Pereira, corporate performance and transformational coach.
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