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If you do not prioritise mental health in the workplace, bottom line it will COST your bottom line. Prioritising mental health in a busy workplace can be a complete challenge causing stress in and of itself if not managed properly BUT it is the first place to start building a mentally healthy workplace.
Based on my conversations with businesses owners the general theme is they know it should be a priority but it is oftentimes put into the too hard basket for another day. There is always a budget and some other way to spend money other than this seemingly intangible expense.
The systems and delivery need to be set over a realistic time frame to fully implement it into the business. A quality program will need to compliment other exiting programs so as to leverage the benefits of the investment. An example of that could be to utilise an existing team building exercise as an opportunity to promote health in the workplace.
Do you actually go and talk to your team about the problems they may have in their life? What is the latest best practise? Spend some time with some HR professionals who work in this space to understand what is the latest. Do your own research on the research; is it practical for our company?
In order to capture the true picture of the mental health of your employees it is a must that gentle conversation be had. This can be done face to face with an experienced HR team member, in a group environment or a combination of both. If there is no scope to have these conversations within the organisation, then engaging experienced facilitators to do so is the next best option.
Ensure senior level of the business is fully briefed and informed on all stages of both the plan and execution of. Structuring regular monthly updates of senior management into the plan will ensure success. The mental health plan endorsed by the most senior level will have the highest chance of success.
When the senior management take ownership of the outcomes of the mental health plan, the employees will respond accordingly in a positive way. If the employee feels this exercise is just another tick and flick they will feel undervalued and not participate in the activities with as much enthusiasm.
Allocate a senior team member to be the leader of the overall program and main point of contact. Depending on the size of the business there could also be a second in charge and a mental health champion in each section of the business to create a broader level of support for all.
Develop a system of employee check-ins and updates. Small quick surveys are a great way to gather data. Mental health assessments will offer a more complete picture of the employee’s mental health status. Grade employee risk level to determine frequency of monitoring and support required according to individuality and needs.
At a minimum an initial assessment of all employees is required then options of quarterly or 6 monthly as follow-ups. When an employee is flagged as high risk they can be allocated a case manager with more regular checkins eg: weekly or fortnightly required for a minimum period of 6 months depending on their level of need.
Adjust as you go, this is a dynamic environment based on many variables. People respond and react differently depending on their individual circumstances. Listen to the feedback and act upon it. If you are unsure what to do with the feedback, clarify, double check, consult with your senior team and professional health & wellbeing professionals. Feedback not acted upon will undermine the whole purpose of the program and only contribute to its ultimate failure in the long run.
Sandra Leigh specialises in helping business owners, remote workers and workplaces build strong healthy habits from the inside out.
If you would like to find out more about how SANDRA LEIGH TRAINING can you help you, your business or workplace
RETAIN STAFF – INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY & REDUCE SICK LEAVE
Sandra Leigh specialises in helping business owners, remote workers and workplaces build strong healthy habits from the inside out.
If you would like to find out more about how SANDRA LEIGH TRAINING can you help you, your business or workplace.
Please contact Sandra Leigh at
[email protected]
www.sandraleightraining.com.au
mob:0409 625 131