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As a leader in your organisation, you’re likely invested in the well-being of your employees. 

The workplace, where many people spend the majority of their time each week, is frequently the most structured and controlled environment in their lives, and it is often their primary source of social and emotional support. 

As a result, the workplace is an important setting for understanding and promoting mental health. Here are 4 ways to improve mental health in the workplace: 

1. Raise awareness around mental health 

In many UK workplaces, discussing mental health is filled with stigma. Employees are still too hesitant to discuss any mental health issues with their managers.  

Break down this stigma by encouraging workplace discussions about mental health and well-being. You could accomplish this by: 

• Provide mental health training for all employees 

• Have some staff trained as mental health first aiders 
• Using internal communication channels to raise awareness, such as blog posts or staff newsletters 
• Encourage people at all levels to talk openly about their mental health if they feel comfortable doing so. 

Raising mental health awareness in this way sends a clear message to employees that help is available if they are struggling. 

2. Keep the conversation going 

We all have mental health and wellbeing, so we need to keep talking about it. This involves encouraging your employees to continue the mental health conversation. 

Set the example by scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with members of your team to discuss their mental health. 

Outside of meetings, make it a habit to check in on your employees and ask how they are. To be more effective, ask them twice. According to Time to Change research, 75% of people will say they’re fine even if they’re not. Simply asking twice may reveal an issue that you were previously unaware of. 

By continuing this conversation, you will encourage employees to think more about their own or their colleagues’ mental health, as well as the factors that influence it. 

3. Prioritise work-life balance 

With the significant shift to home working, the boundaries between work and home life have become increasingly blurred. This must be closely monitored, as a lack of work-life balance leads to stressed and burned-out employees. 

So, take proactive steps to maintain your employees’ work/life balance. You could encourage your employees to work reasonable hours, take full lunch breaks, and avoid working on weekends. 

It is also critical that you establish realistic work demands so that your employees do not have extra work to do after hours. 

4. Implement healthy workplace practices 

Implement some simple healthy workplace practises to improve your team’s mental health. 

Office workers should be encouraged to take frequent breaks from long periods of sitting, as this has been shown to improve mood and energy levels. 

You could also encourage exercise and regular social events to improve your employees’ physical and mental health. 

Implementing practises like these demonstrates your commitment to your employees’ well-being. 

Do you want to improve mental health awareness and staff emotional wellbeing in your workplace? 

We have a range of mental health training options to support individuals and organisations, including both online and in-person courses to suit your requirements.   

2023 can be the year you train your staff and upgrade the emotional well-being of your teams and the support provided to them, thus increasing moral, productivity and reducing absence and sick days. 

Remember, when you hire Shawmind as your training provider (rather than a private company) we use the funding to provide mental health training for school children and teachers FREE OF CHARGE. 

The well-being of your organisation has a ripple effect on mental wellness within communities around the UK.