Let’s talk about something important – your employees’ mental health and the overall wellness of workplace mental health. The benefits of mental health care in the workplace don’t just apply to your employees, though. It might surprise you, but taking care of your team’s well-being can actually boost your business’s bottom line and support your local community.
But that’s where you come in. By offering employee access to mental health resources, you’re giving your employees the tools they need to manage stress, focus better, and crush their job goals. Win-win!
Workplace Mental Health & Employee Productivity
Ever Feel Like Your Team is Just Phoning It In?
It might not be laziness – mental health concerns can seriously zap employee productivity. Work-related fatigue caused by stress and mental health issues can lead to low productivity, burnout, and chronic mental illness. Employee access to mental health resources can work with you to keep your employees happy, healthy, and productive!
Less Absentee-ism, More Results
Struggling employees often miss work, or show up but aren’t really showing up at their best. Depression affects cognitive performance about 35% of the time, which adds up to a lot of time in survival mode instead of working. By making workplace mental health a priority, you can help your employees not only show up, but feel fulfilled and ready to get their work done.
People missing work due to mental illness exploded by 300% between 2017 and 2023. It’s an issue that is constantly rising as workers contend with the instability and rising cost of living post-COVID. That’s on top of the life-stress and work-stress that have always put pressure on employees. One solid solution with proven benefits is taking a mental health day for employees.
Taking a mental health day can feel foreign and sometimes, just wrong. Presenting the option to employees, backed with a clear understanding by all levels and parties, brings those much needed mental health days within reach.
Innovation and Creativity
People struggling with their mental health often find it difficult enough just to lead their normal lives, let alone perform well at their jobs. Creative tasks and problem solving are especially difficult when your brain is working against you. On average, workers struggling with stress or mental illness have to work 23% harder on creative tasks than other employees.
Addressing workplace mental health concerns can unleash the full potential of individuals, leading to greater innovation and creativity in the workforce.
When individuals are mentally healthy and supported, they are better able to contribute new ideas, solutions, and approaches to problems, driving economic growth and competitiveness.
Workplace Mental Health & Employee Satisfaction
Win the Hiring Game
Let’s face it, finding great people is tough these days. But here’s the secret: employees love feeling supported, especially when it comes to their mental health.
About 81% of candidates now are prioritizing workplace mental health benefits in their job hunt. By offering these benefits, you’re showing you care, making your small business a more attractive option.
Keep Your Best People
Showing you care about their well-being goes a long way. Employee access to mental health resources reduces stress and burnout, which lowers your turnover rate because happy employees are more likely to stick around.
Since turnover rates have been around 60% in the years following quarantine, workplace mental health should be a priority to keep your best employees on the payroll. Even just offering a mental health day off work and employee health insurance can do a lot to help your workers feel satisfied in their role.
Boost That Office Vibe
You know that positive, can-do energy? Satisfied workers are the source of that energy that drives your business forward. And even though employee benefits are important to workplace mental health and job satisfaction, your work culture is even more important.
If you want healthy employees who are excited to come to work each day, you have to build a community that supports each and every person. A poll found 78% of workers found a healthy and sustainable work culture to be the most important thing to avoid burnout. And happy employees equal happy customers, right?
Workplace Mental Health & the Betterment of Your Business
Stay on the Right Side of the Law
There are federal and state regulations to protect employees with mental health issues from discrimination and harassment. Hostile work environment and bullying issues are a major cause for mental health issues at work.
Reporting a hostile work environment and harassment at work are both protected in Oregon by the Oregon Workplace Fairness Act.
Investment in Human Capital
Investing in workplace mental health care is an investment in human capital and the collective skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals in the workforce. By prioritizing employee access to mental health resources in the workplace, businesses can ensure that their workforce is equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy and contribute to long-term economic prosperity.
Boost Your Public Image
Happy employees are like walking advertisements for your business. Satisfied employees provide a better customer experience, in turn bringing more people to your business. If your employees really love working for you, they’ll probably be bragging about their job outside of work, too.
How a company treats its employees is becoming increasingly important to consumers when choosing where to buy. That means taking care of your team can translate to a boost in sales and brand loyalty. Plus, a positive reputation attracts top talent, which keeps your company running smoothly.
Save Cash on Healthcare
Think of mental health care like an investment in your overall health. By tackling those mental health blues head-on, you can avoid bigger, more expensive problems down the road. That means more doctor visits, pricier treatments, and potentially even emergency room trips.
This also applies to employers. Investing in employee access to mental health resources now can save you a bundle in the long run. It’s like taking care of your car’s engine – a little maintenance now keeps things running smoothly and avoids a costly breakdown later. Putting time and some money into workplace mental health now will help avoid having your employees taking more time off due to mental health issues, burnout, and high turnover in the future.
Workplace Mental Health & Supporting Your Community (and Beyond!)
Mental Health Matters for Your Community (and Your Wallet)
Struggle bus blues got you down? You’re not alone. Mental health issues can be a real drag, and they can even lead folks to rely on social services for help. That’s a bummer for everyone involved.
Here’s the good news: by getting the mental healthcare you need, you’re more likely to stay on your feet.
By taking care of your mental health, you’re not just helping yourself, you’re helping your community
Less folks needing social services means less strain on government resources and taxpayer wallets. That frees up money for other important stuff, like parks and firetrucks (gotta keep those hot dogs warm and the fires out!).
So next time you’re feeling down, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. It’s good for you, and it’s good for everyone around you. Investing in your mental health is an investment in a stronger community.
Support for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship
Small businesses are the backbone of many economies, and supporting mental health in the workplace can benefit small businesses by improving employee productivity, reducing turnover costs, and fostering a positive work environment. This, in turn, can contribute to the overall economic growth and stability of local communities.
Overall, promoting mental health awareness and improving employee access to mental health resources can have significant positive impacts on the economy, ranging from increased workforce participation and productivity to reduced healthcare costs and greater innovation.
Investing in workplace mental health is not only the right thing to do for you and your employees, but also a smart economic strategy with far-reaching benefits.