Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental health in the workplace is now receiving the dialogue it deserves, or we’ve at least made great strides in ensuring the dialogue is occurring. These discussions are essential given that mental health support at work is now a requirement compared to the nice-to-have it once was. It’s estimated that one in five individuals experience a mental illness per year in the United States. Since COVID, that number has jumped significantly, with as many as 80% dealing with depression.

The impact of mental illness at work is costly for both the employer and employees. Depression alone costs $17 billion to $44 billion for employers, with an estimated 200 million lost workdays annually. To reduce mental health challenges in the workplace and the costs associated with them, employers must make supporting mental health a priority by providing the right level of job support and mental health benefits, as well as having and adhering to policies that focus on well-being and safety.

Mental Health Defined

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health includes “emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”

Mental health is essential at every life stage, from childhood to adulthood. Mental well-being is far more than a lack of a mental health condition—it means we feel safe, healthy, and well, in general, and can function effectively and productively in life, including at work. When our mental health takes a hit, it impacts all facets of our life, both personally and professionally.

Risk Factors that Negatively Impact Mental Health in the Workplace

Here are some of the risk factors that occur in the workplace and harm an employee’s mental well-being:

•            Poor management practices

•            Weak safety and health policies

•            Pressure to perform

•            Inadequate levels of support for employees

•            Lack of job security

•            Lack of health and wellness benefits

Poor Management Practices

Managers that don’t clearly communicate with employees, don’t regularly discuss performance, and don’t show respect towards their teams provoke stress within their teams. This leads to unhealthy stress and strain on relationships, which can lead to mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Weak Safety and Health Policies

Employees have the right to feel safe at work, both physically and psychologically. When a company doesn’t have the proper policies in place to support safety, an employee’s mental well-being is put at risk.

Policies that focus on workplace safety and health help to protect not only employees, but the company’s consumers, clients, business partners, and the employer itself, as well. Safety policies cover a myriad of work concerns, from antidiscrimination and equal employment to OSHA compliance, worker’s compensation, and anonymous reporting guidelines for violations.

Pressure to Perform

When employees feel they must perform above average regularly, it is unreasonable. This type of pressure leads to an increase in work hours, exhaustion, and additional stress, all of which can negatively affect mental health.

Inadequate Levels of Support for Employees

A manager with solid leadership skills realizes that part of their role is to provide the resources and support for employees to be successful. This looks like being available to answer questions, offering training opportunities, and more. When this type of support is lacking, it can increase stress on employees and lead to a lack of motivation to perform.

Lack of Job Security

The loss of work during COVID exasperated the concerns and fears of employees in terms of job security. Being able to take care of one’s self and families are an important component to feel mentally well, in general. Employees need to feel secure in their jobs and the company’s ability to survive for the long term to avoid stress related to feeling insecure in their ability to keep their jobs.

Lack of Health and Wellness Benefits

Employers who appreciate the importance of a healthy workforce offer ample wellness benefits, including mental health support and benefits. A lack of such benefits can send a message that the employer doesn’t care about this aspect, and at best, employees aren’t getting the support they need to take care of their mental health needs.

Ways Mental Health Challenges Impact Employee Performance

When employees feel good, they are flexible, adaptable, agile, and resilient. If mental health challenges surface for employees, it can lead to burnout and increase the chances of other health conditions occurring. Performance is negatively impacted due to many factors that can result, including a lack of motivation and the inability to optimally function linked to the level of mental health challenges. And mental health challenges do not need to be excessive or extreme to negatively impact an employee’s job.

Employees at all levels can be impacted by mental health challenges. Five specific ways the impact of poor mental health might show up include:

1. Ineffective decision-making. Poor decision-making can sometimes occur when mental health challenges set in, which can result in poor habits like being late for work and missing commitments like company events and meetings.

2. Impaired daily functioning. Poor mental health can impact one’s ability to cope emotionally, reduce cognitive function, cause an increase in anxiety, and impact one’s physical health, to name just a few of the possibilities. All of these symptoms can then lead to impaired daily functioning, which in turn impacts job functioning.

3. Lower performance and productivity levels. When we don’t have easy access to our creativity and resilience due to poor mental health, it can make it difficult to perform at work, especially at the level one might have been previously. As a result, productivity takes a hit.

4. Decreased engagement with coworkers and work. We tend to fixate on problems or become distracted by mental health challenges and issues at work, which leads to a lack of focus and engagement.

5. Poor communication. Struggling with our mental health can cause us to act out and come across as more aggressive or passive-aggressive. Employees also tend to have a more difficult time listening and communicating in general when they are struggling with their mental health.

Additionally, poor mental health in the workplace can cause:

•            High turnover

•            Decreased revenue and profits

•            Safety liabilities

•            Discrimination complaints and lawsuits

Tips to Promote Mental Health in the Workplace

There are several steps employers can take to enhance mental health in the workplace to take care of their employees. Four considerations include:

•            Offer a broad range of mental health resources and benefits

•            Promote a safe and secure workplace

•            Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

•            Offer additional well-being benefits

1. Offer a Broad Range of Mental Health Resources and Benefits

Offering benefits that support overall well-being, including mental health, is vital in today’s world. Options employers can offer:

•            Health insurance with ample mental health benefits

•            Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

•            Free mental health assessment and screening tools

•            Relaxation and meditation spaces

•            Training on mental health and well-being, including coping skills

•            Easy access to in-house or local clinic mental health practitioners

•            Employer-sponsored mental health resource groups

2. Promote a Safe Workplace

Employers have a responsibility to provide and promote a safe work environment. Companies can foster a safe working environment by:

•            Training their leadership team to ensure members are effective and know how to motivate vs demotivate.

•            Ensuring discrimination, harassment, and equal employment opportunity policies are in place and foster a no-tolerance environment for the poor treatment and bullying of others.

•            Making sure there is a process in place for employees to report concerns and issues regarding safety, harassment, bullying, and more.

•            Addressing signs of stress quickly to support employees without pushing them to share how they’re feeling if they don’t want to share.

•            Closely adhering to and educating employees on OSHA policies and procedures to maintain physical safety and well-being.

•            Ensuring employees feel safe enough to take the breaks they need throughout the day to care for their personal needs.

•            Encouraging the workforce to take part in self-care activities they enjoy, like spending time in nature, meditating, reading an inspirational book, or breathing exercises.

•            Foster connection between coworkers, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and lack of belonging.

3. Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Mental well-being and DEI in the workplace are closely connected, and a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace can increase mental health problems for employees at work. Employers that promote DEI through various means, like Employee Resource Groups (ERCs) and DEI hiring and recruiting initiatives, have greater productivity and a more engaged workforce.

4. Offer Additional Wellbeing Benefits

Financial well-being is closely tied to mental health. Finances are a major source of stress for many Americans, which can lead to emotional and mental health concerns. Organizations can offer Financial Wellbeing Programs, including training, financial coaches, and more, to help them take care of their financial well-being. Employers can also offer wellness perks, like gym memberships or an in-house gym, to foster physical well-being.

Employer-Sponsored Mental Health Support Provides Positive Results

Employers that offer mental health benefits and support and ensure an environment that fosters overall well-being see an increase in productivity, reduced stress, and more. As reported by BetterUp, Prudential Financial, Inc. is an example of an organization aiming to destigmatize mental health in the workplace.

Prudential incorporated a behavioral health team that provides training and referrals to help employees manage their mental and emotional well-being. They also offer health risk assessments that guide their strategic planning in how to best support their workforce. Prudential reports that, since they enacted these mental wellness benefits, their employees have been less burdened by stress, been more productive, reduced illness-related absences, and can better deal with work challenges and opportunities.

If you would like to review the types of mental health programs and benefits available to offer to your workforce, KBI can help. Our team of employee benefits brokers can help you assess your current demographic and provide options to meet their needs.