Supporting Employees’ Mental Health: Building a Nurturing Workplace Environment

Understanding how to support employees with personality disorders or other mental health challenges is crucial for fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace environment. Here’s how the strategies mentioned earlier can be applied:

Understanding the Workplace, the Impact of Mental Health on Work

Key statistics on mental health in the workplace

71% of Canadian employees say mental health issues have affected their ability to perform their work in the past year (Chebat, 2023).

81% wish to find a workplace that better supports their mental health in the future (Chebat, 2023). 

Just half of Gen Z workers believe their company prioritizes their mental health (Chebat, 2023).

Risks to Mental Health at Work include under utilization or lack of required skills, social isolation, inflexible work hours, high workload without control, inadequate support and role clarity, unhealthy organizational culture or environment, discrimination, job insecurity, or low pay, insufficient training, and poor work/life balance (Chebat, 2023).

Recognize the Signs

HR departments should remain vigilant for potential signs of mental health issues. Utilize performance management software to identify shifts in workload, efficiency, or engagement that could signal a problem.

Here are some common ones to look out for (especially if they continue for more than a week):

Difficulty focusing

Trouble making decisions

Exhaustion

Loss of interest in work they used to enjoy

Irritability or nervousness

Lower participation than normal

Excessive worrying

If an employee's behaviour changes, ask them privately about how they're doing and how work is affecting their well-being. Create a safe space for them to raise concerns while conveying empathy and assuring them that they're not alone (Chebat, 2023).

Creating a Culture of Openness

Fostering a culture of openness in an organization involves creating an environment where employees can freely express themselves, share ideas, and discuss concerns without fear of judgment. This begins with leadership demonstrating transparency and authenticity, encouraging open dialogue, emphasizing active listening skills, and promoting empathy towards different viewpoints. Prioritizing openness and communication enhances employee engagement, morale, and creates a resilient and adaptive workplace culture that can effectively navigate challenges and embrace opportunities for growth.

Implementing Supportive Policies and Practices

It's crucial for organizations to have supportive policies and practices that prioritize employee well-being, mental health, work-life balance, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Supportive policies include flexible work arrangements and initiatives that create a sense of belonging and respect for all employees.

Supportive practices for employees include providing access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) for confidential counseling and support services. It is crucial to train managers and supervisors to recognize signs of mental health issues and improve communication and conflict resolution skills. These practices help create a culture where employees feel comfortable discussing their concerns and seeking help when needed.

Implementing transparent and fair performance management, including regular feedback and professional development opportunities, helps employees reach their career goals, leading to job satisfaction. Businesses can create a supportive environment by updating policies based on feedback and organizational needs, promoting well-being, productivity, and long-term success.

Providing Training and Resources 

To effectively support mental health in the workplace, it's important to provide training for managers and employees on how to utilize available resources. Empower them with clear guidance to encourage proactive engagement.

Ongoing mental health awareness and support training should be provided for all employees and managers to enhance emotional intelligence and intervention skills.

It's important to educate HR staff and leaders on relevant mental health policies using resources like the U.S. Department of Labor and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Promote mental well-being by providing resources such as:

- Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer support for caregiver responsibilities, family issues, and addiction recovery.

- Financial planning guidance to alleviate stress, such as classes on financial management, investing, and benefits evaluations.

Prioritizing mental health enhances workforce morale, creativity, and commitment, which are essential for sustained business success.