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The importance of mental health at work has been discussed in recent years. After all, it directly influences the well-being of employees. But for companies, it is also becoming increasingly important.
According to a report by FundacentroAccording to Social Security data, mental disorders are the third biggest cause of sick leave. This means changes in productivity, operations, profits and even the loss of talent.
Thus, improving this aspect for your talents is also beneficial for the company. Here are 5 strategies to do just that!
5 strategies to improve mental health at work
Even simple actions can help employees maintain balanced mental health. Check out 5 of them!
1. Value the employee
In many companies, there is the idea that paying a good salary is valuing you. This is partly true.
Nowadays, more than just earning a good living, professionals also value other aspects of work, such as feeling part of something important and having a balanced role, something that influences their mental health and life expectations.
So, in addition to a fair salary, you can apply more measures that show the professional how much the company cares about them. For example:
- have a compatible workload;
- offer bonuses that make sense to the person;
- evaluate the possibility of flexibility, with home office or hybrid work;
- invest in intelligent leadersthat they don't put unnecessary pressure on people;
- get the professional involved in decisions related to their position.
2. Offer health support
Helping people to have good mental health at work and in their personal lives requires direct support from the company. Therefore, creating support programs, with the help of psychologists, is a good measure; especially for people who deal with stressful jobs.
Another example is to encourage people to exercise, as this also influences the mind. Here, workplace gymnastics and gym memberships are easy examples to apply.
3. Combat the toxic crop
A toxic environment is easy to find in any company, as it is created by people. However, it can be combated with a good organizational culture and the application of different actions.
- Reduce the pressure at work and don't work towards goals that are impossible to achieve in the short term.
- Combat harassment with reporting channels, awareness-raising and punishments that work.
- Eliminating bullyinggossip, slander and calumny that can arise among employees themselves, influencing the mental health of those involved.
- Use tools such as the integrity test to select good employees and leaders for the company.
- Fighting back corrupt practicesThese factors contribute to a toxic and unfair environment, influencing employees.
4. Invest in awareness
Talking about mental health at work shouldn't be a "shallow" subject. Although there are dates that reflect on the subject, such as "Yellow September" with suicide prevention, it is important that people are aware of the issue all year round.
For this reason, holding frequent talks and training sessions, as well as encouraging people to "check" their mental health from time to time, can help everyone find balance in their daily lives.
Another way to help is to provide more direct support to employees who already have a diagnosis, such as panic disorder, OCD or another disorder. In this case, it is important to help the person and those who work with them to seek and offer support in crisis situations.
In this way, it is possible to eliminate the "taboo" about certain illnesses, encouraging the person to explain what is happening to them, and instructing colleagues to understand their condition and provide help if needed.
5. Encourage socialization and collaboration
People feel safe in environments where they are respected. It is therefore important to encourage this aspect in order to maintain mental health at work.
In addition, forming work teams, in which everyone needs to work together with their skills, is a way of putting this respect into practice and increasing collaboration.
Another important action is to encourage balanced socializing among colleagues, with spaces for conversation in the company or team activities such as end-of-year get-togethers.
Mental health at work is no joke. After all, it leads to sick leave, disorders that make people suffer and problems with production and profitability. So applying the 5 strategies we've outlined in this post is a way of creating a healthy environment in which everyone can take care of their mental health and help each other on a daily basis.
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